


Expect the Unexpected

by unknowableroom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Humor, Marauders' Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-12-27
Updated: 2007-06-19
Packaged: 2019-01-19 19:56:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 30,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12417060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknowableroom_archivist/pseuds/unknowableroom_archivist
Summary: “You would never think the two of them could ever get together, but I know that you should always expect to unexpected. Especially when it comes to two people as stubborn as James Potter and Lily Evans.”�





	1. Explanations and Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> Note from ChristyCorr, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Unknowable Room](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Unknowable_Room), a Harry Potter archive active from 2005-2016. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project after May 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Unknowable Room collection profile](http://www.archiveofourown.org/collections/unknowableroom).

**Summary** : “You would never think the two of them could ever get together, but I know that you should always expect to unexpected. Especially when it comes to two people as stubborn as James Potter and Lily Evans.”� After years of arguing, when Lily Evans and James Potter are forced together, everyone predicts that the school will collapse. It may take a little help from a few of their friends to show them just how perfect for each other they really are.  
 **Disclaimer** : I own nothing, I never have owned it, I never will own it. 

 

**Chapter 1- Explanations and Beginnings**

_Expected the unexpected._ __

__

_That’s one of Ryan’s favorite phrases. She should know, with her family. But that’s beside the point._

__

_Expect the unexpected._

__

_That phrase reminds me of James Potter during this last year, our seventh year and final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Every time I thought I had him figured out, he’d do something to completely mess up any ideas I had about him._

__

_What a way to start out my story. With a name like that. If Alice or Morgan or Ryan ever found out I wrote that, well, I bet you can guess. Well, unless… Unless you don’t know who we are. In which case you would be wondering ‘Who is this boy that this girl is rambling about?’_

__

_Allow me to explain. For those of you who know James Potter, better known as Potter until this year (as far as I was concerned), bear with me for a minute. For those of you who don’t, for one thing, where have you been for the last seventeen years? I’m warning you now; I may not be the best person to tell you about him. We never really got along until this year, and that’s only because we were forced together. Well, I say that now, but… Never mind._

__

_Up until this year, Potter was just an arrogant, bigheaded prat (and that was nicely coming from me) who liked to entertain himself by asking me out. James and I always had sort of a love/hate relationship. More hate than love on my part._

__

_Common known fact- James Potter has a crush on me. Yes, James Potter, Hogwarts second most eligible bachelor fancies ME. Until this year, I thought he only asked me out to get on my nerves and because I was one of only three girls in our year (one being one of his best friends, the other being_ completely _hung up on Frank Longbottom) that hadn’t gone out with him. And the only girl that point blank refused — repeatedly — to go out with him, as well._

 

_Of course, by now you’re probably wondering who I am (or maybe you’ve already figured it out). Lily Anne Evans, seventh year Gryffindor and (as I said) the only girl in the history of Hogwarts to turn down James Potter. Repeatedly. You can hate me if you want, but it sure never kept him from dating. At least not until… Right, on with the story._

__

_To understand fully why I hate Potter- or used to at least- you would have to know more of the story than I feel like (and have the time to be) telling. Potter and his three friends call themselves the Marauders. James Potter, known to his friends as Prongs and the leader of their little group. Sirius Black, Hogwarts’ most eligible bachelor and second in command, also called Padfoot. Remus Lupin, the only male Marauder worth talking to and the other prefect in our year, but known to his friends as Moony. And then there’s Peter Pettigrew, called Wormtail, the most nervous person I’ve ever seen in my whole life. And lastly there’s Ryan, who doesn’t have a nickname (besides Rye and Wheat and occasionally Fireball-- the stupid things Black comes up with) and therefore isn’t technically a Marauder in the eyes of many. Which is, honestly, understandable. Sure, she hangs around them more than anyone else outside their group, but…_

__

_Ryan actually gets along with all of them. Not just Remus, like Alice and Morgan and I do, but_ all _of them. She plays Quidditch too, which could have something to do with it. In fact, she’s the only Lady Marauder (according to the boys, but a lot of people don’t consider her a Marauder because she didn’t come in until much later; our fifth year, to be exact). And the first girl Sirius Black ever kissed, but that’s her story. I used to never be able to understand how she does it, how she manages to get along with all of them, but, then again, she said she’s known them most of her life. Three out of the four of them at least._

__

_By now you’re either extremely confused or extremely frustrated. There’s always that chance that, by now, you’re both. So I’ll let you get on with the story. Our story. The story of eight seventh year Gryffindors in a time when no one was safe._

_-Lily Anne Evans_

 

~*~*~*~*~

Lily Evans sat in the Head compartment, flipping through a book. She wasn’t really taking anything in though. Her mind was on other things. Such as who her partner was and where he could possibly be.

 

_Not that it matters_ , she told herself. _He’s not going to ruin this for me._

 

She glanced at her watch. Only twenty more minutes until they had to meet the prefects, and the Head Boy (whoever the hell he was) still hadn’t shown up. 

 

“Still no sign of him?”� Alice Carter, one of Lily’s best friends, asked, coming into the compartment and sitting across from her.

 

Lily shook her head. She sighed and put her book away. “I still don’t know who it is either.”� Alice smirked. “What?”�

 

“I’m just thinking about what would happen if Snape was the Head Boy,”� she said, grinning.

 

Lily shuddered. Severus Snape was the seventh year Slytherin prefect. He was in a serious need of a hair washing, to put it nicely. “Don’t even joke about that.”�

 

Alice grinned even more, ignoring her. “Or what if it was Potter?”�

 

“I’d die,”� Lily said simply. 

 

“I’m sorry to hear that,”� a casual voice said from the doorway of the compartment. 

 

Lily looked up and had to bite back a groan. James Potter stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe with an amused look on his face. “Potter.”�

 

“Lily Evans, what a pleasant surprise,”� he said, smiling slightly.

 

“I’ll see you later, Lily,”� Alice said, standing up and walking over to the doorway. “Come to our compartment when you’re finished, alright?”� Lily nodded and Alice brushed past James and out of the compartment.

 

“Looks like she’s in a hurry to get somewhere,”� James said lightly.

 

“What are _you_ doing here?”� Lily demanded.

He grinned and pointed to the badge on his chest. It was of the Hogwarts’ crest with the letters HS in the middle. Lily had to hold back another groan. There was no mistaking the badge. Hers was still in her pocket.

 

“Didn’t you know?”� James asked, his smile fading slightly. “I got a note telling me who the Head Girl was.”� 

 

Lily’s had gotten a note too, but in her excitement, she had lost it before finding out who her partner was. But she wasn’t about to tell _him_ that. 

 

“I mean,”� James continued when she didn’t say anything, “we _are_ going to be partners.”�

 

Lily was still trying to process the information. Dumbledore actually expected her to work with James Potter? Ha, as if. Never in a million years. Did he not know that she and Potter didn’t get along? Or was this some kind of experiment to see which one of them cracked first?

 

“How did you get it?”� she asked after a few seconds.

 

James shrugged. “Makes you wonder if he’s finally lost it, doesn’t it?”� 

 

Lily almost nodded, but stopped herself. Instead, she moved onto another subject. “We need to get ready for the prefect meeting.”�

 

James nodded. “Right,”� he agreed. He was agreeing with her? He _never_ agreed with her. The two of them never agreed on anything. “We only have ten minutes to get ready for the meeting, but we have a whole year to figure out how we’re going to work together.”� And he definitely was never serious. Lily raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

 

He noticed her look and said calmly, “Believe it or not, Lily, this is important to me.”� Wait a minute, did he just…? He did. He called her Lily. Not Lily Evans, not Evans, not my-dear-sweet-Lily-flower or any of those other stupid names. Just Lily. When was the last time he had called her Lily? She was pretty sure it had to be at least second year, if not longer. “So all we do is introduce ourselves and all that other stuff right?”�

 

_Ah, there’s the Potter we all know and love_ , Lily thought sarcastically.

“Basically,”� she replied calmly, standing up. “You _do_ know where the prefects’ compartment is, don’t you?”�

 

He snorted. “Everyone knows where the prefect compartments are. Besides,”� he added with an _extremely_ cocky grin that Lily knew only too well, “the prefects’ compartment and the Head compartment are the only two Marauder proof compartments.”� Lily rolled her eyes, resisting the urge to strangle him. “Ladies first, of course,”� he said, bowing.

 

She rolled her eyes again, but brushed past him and led the way down the corridor to the prefect’s compartment. Only about half the prefects were already there, including Remus Lupin.

“Congratulations, Lily,”� he said when he saw her.

 

“Thank you, Remus,”� she said. Remus was the only Marauder Lily chose to call by his first name. Well, male Marauder. Sometimes she would call Peter or Sirius by their given names, but never James. Maybe it was because she was usually so mad at him, she didn’t want to bother to call him his first name.

Lily turned to face James. “We should give them about five more minutes before we start.”� He just nodded. By the time they were ready to start, all the prefects had arrived.

 

“Can I have your attention please?”� Lily called. Everyone except for the Slytherins stopped talking. Not that that surprised her, but it would’ve been nice if they listened just once.

 

“OY, you lot,”� James said loudly. “Shut up.”� Lily had to admit, that worked pretty well. At least they were quiet. 

 

“Thank you. I’m Lily Evans, the Head Girl, and this is James Potter.”� A few of the girls giggled and Lily resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “On behalf of Hogwarts, we would like to congratulate you on becoming a prefect. Today we are just going to cover the basics, and there will be another meeting later on this week.”�

 

“You will have to patrol the corridors every so often to make sure no one’s getting into any trouble,”� James said. “After the feast, the fifth years will lead the new first years in your house up to your common room. We have the passwords, make sure you get them before you leave.”�

 

Lily had to resist the urge to stare at him in shock. “Sixth years will follow the first years to make sure none of them get lost,”� she continued, half amazed that James was actually helping, half wanting to make sure she didn’t look like an idiot. “Seventh years will be patrolling tonight, mainly on the first floor and the corridors where your common rooms are.”�

 

“That’s all, I think, any questions?”� James asked. Nobody moved. “Okay, you can leave. Just make sure you get your passwords before you go and patrol the corridors every so often to make sure no one’s causing any trouble.”�

 

~*~*~*~*~

“Guess who the Head Boy is,”� Alice said, walking into the compartment where her friend, Morgan Watson was sitting.

 

“Digs,”� Morgan said distractedly, flipping through _Witch_ _Weekly_.

 

“Nope,”� Alice said, sitting across from her. “Guess again.”�

 

“Mathew Davies.”�

 

“No.”�

 

“Remus Lupin.”�

 

“Nu-uh. Getting closer, though.”�

 

Morgan’s head snapped up. “No.”�

 

“Yes,”� Alice replied.

 

“Oh, Lily’s going to have a fit,”� Morgan said, smirking slightly.

 

“Why’s Lily going to have a fit?”� Ryan Miller asked, coming in and plopping into the seat next to Alice. 

 

“James Potter is Head Boy,”� Alice said.

 

“Oh.”� Ryan nodded. “Yeah, I knew that _ages_ ago.”� She grinned. “Spent most of the summer making fun of him over it too.”�

 

Morgan rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m sure you did. Lucky girl.”�

 

“‘Because you spent the summer with four of the sexiest men alive,’”� Ryan mocked, grinning. “Yeah, yeah. Sexiest. Psh. Sexy my arse.”�

 

“You wouldn’t be talking about me, would you?”� a voice came from the doorway. They turned to see Sirius Black leaning against the doorframe. 

 

“Oh, no, Oh-Great-And-Sexy-One,”� Ryan said, half grinning, half smirking. “We would _never_ call you unsexy.”�

 

“Is that even a word?”� Morgan asked, raising an eyebrow and smirking.

 

Ryan shrugged. “It is now.”�

 

“A word created when talking about me, no less,”� Sirius said, trying to sound offended.

 

“You should feel honored,”� Ryan said, smirking at him. “I created a new word just for you, Sirius. Now, do us a favor and go away.”�

 

“Rye, I’m offended,”� Sirius said, putting a hand over his heart. “First you call me unsexy, and then you tell me to go away. What kind of friend does that?”�

 

“Hmm, let me think,”� Ryan said, pretending to be thoughtful. “I’d say… this kind. Come on, Sirius, I spent the whole bloody summer with _you_ , can’t I talk to my other friends for a few minutes in peace?”�

 

“I s’pose,”� he said, sighing dramatically. “Just because you like them better-“ Ryan didn’t give him a chance to finish as she jumped up, pushed him out of the compartment, and slammed the door.

 

“You gotta love him,”� she said, sitting back down and shaking her head, still grinning. “So, how was your summer?”�

 

“Less exciting than yours, I’d bet,”� Morgan said.

 

“Oh, yeah, I’m sure,”� Ryan said, rolling her blue eyes. “Spending your whole summer either being yelled at by your Quidditch captain or being asked by your Quidditch captain what he should do about Lily Evans or being chased by an insane and previously unknown species just has to better than staying at home, with normal, sane people.”�

 

“Being chased by an insane and previously unknown species?”� Alice asked.

 

“Yeah, Peter had a bit of an accident when he was trying to transfigure a lizard,”� Ryan said, smiling slightly (there was hardly ever a time when she _wasn’t_ grinning). 

 

“Bet that was interesting.”�

 

“You better believe it.”�

 

&&&&&&&&&&&  
Hallo. My name is Lindsey, and I will be your author for today. Um... Right. This was my first L/J fanfic (was? still is), so be kind to it and leave a review please. Well, you don't have to be kind to the story, but I would appreciate it if you left a review. The first twelve chapters of this are on fanfiction, and the first two chapters are on thesnitch forums.


	2. Crushes and Cliffs

**Summary-** “You would never think the two of them could ever get together, but I know that you should always expect to unexpected. Especially when it comes to two people as stubborn as James Potter and Lily Evans.”� After years of arguing, when Lily Evans and James Potter are forced together, everyone predicts that the school will collapse. It may take a little help from a few of their friends to show them just how perfect for each other they really are.

**Disclaimer-** Hm, let’s think about this. If I _were_ J. K. Rowling, would I need to put my story here? No, I didn’t think so. So, therefore, by process of elimination, could I possibly J. K. Rowling? If you said no, you’d be right.

**Faiths_reality** \- I’m glad you like the characters. I’m rather proud of them. : )

**TelwynDubois** \- Well, it’s not my _first_ fic, just my first L/J (my first one is a next generation thing). When you say it actually made sense, does that mean that the rest of the chapter didn’t make sense or that you can totally understand yourself saying that? :P 

**Lollipop1347** \- Well, here’s the update you were looking for!

 

 

**Chapter 2- Crushes and Cliffs**

_Hi, official Lady Marauder here. The_ only _Lady Marauder. Or Ryan, as most people call me. The whole official Lady Marauder thing is just with the guys. They call me Fireball sometimes too, but that’s something else in itself (it’s mostly Sirius anyway, but we all know that he’s a complete nut). I also hold the lovely title of being the first girl Sirius Black ever kissed. Not so nice a title as Lady Marauder, but still._

__

_The story behind that, you’re wondering? I think we were seven when Sirius decided girls didn’t have cooties anymore. I just happened to be the first girl he saw. One of the disadvantages of growing up next to the Potters. The main disadvantage. (There are advantages too, though, like getting to know Remus Lupin.) Anyway, it was just on the cheek, and I ended up running away screaming and wouldn’t talk to him for a few hours, but it’s a fun memory all the same. James likes to bring it up around Sirius’ more idiotic and ditzy admirers to get rid of them._

__

_“Did you know he’s kissed Ryan Miller?”�_

__

_Makes for some pretty nasty rumors, but I don’t mind. It’s not like I would actually want to go out with him or anything. He hasn’t kissed me since, for which I’m_ extremely _thankful._

_I have some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Three are perfectly normal and sane and everything, four are wacky and crazy and I sometimes wonder if they hit their head really, really hard while I was gone (or before I even left). Well, four sane, three crazy. I don’t usually worry about Remus’ sanity. Usually._

__

_From the first time we moved until Hogwarts, I never really had any_ really _good friends. Some of them were all right, but most of them just… Yeah, well, you know what I mean. We were always moving, and with my powers, well, they didn’t exactly make me popular. Well, it did, but for the wrong reasons. You know what I mean._

__

_My dad’s a traveling auror, so we’ve been all over. He just goes wherever he’s needed. We started moving when I was eight, right after my mom died. I blame him for my weird accent that isn’t totally British, but isn’t really anything else either. So far, we’ve lived in Italy, Greece, Russia, Brazil, France, and the United States. Not in that order, but we’ve lived all those places. The United States was the second best, but maybe that was because I actually understood what they were saying. Most of the time anyway. Or maybe it’s because of family history._

__

_You see, my mom (mum, madre, whatever word you want to use) was born in the United States. She moved to Britain when she was fifteen, the same age I was when we finally moved back. She and James’ mum (hey, I’m bilingual… or octa-lingual or something–I can use whatever word I want!) became best friends almost immediately (I have to wonder if they started out being friends like me and Lily started being friends…_ Cough, cough _). I can remember our moms joking about how James and I would get married one day. Yeah, the crazy things mothers come up with (and for the record, I have_ never _liked James like that). My dad didn’t go to Hogwarts, he went to a small private school in the middle of downtown London or something. How they met is beyond me, but the point is that my mom was, technically, an American citizen. Which might have something to do with why I loved the U.S. so much._

__

_If it weren’t for my little brother, Daniel (we call him Dan or Danny, Daniel’s too grown up for him), I probably would’ve just come to Hogwarts anyway. I could’ve lived with the Potters and gone to Hogwarts and not worried about it. But I wanted to be at least a little closer to my brother (he’s ten; he’ll start next fall). We’re really close. Probably because of how close we aren’t to our dad._

 

_I think, out of the seven of them, I’m probably closest to James, Lily, and Remus. James because I saw him at least once a year every year since we started moving. It was a compromise my dad and I made: he could choose my school as long as we visited the Potters at least once a year. It was usually at Christmas since both my dad and James’ parents had Christmas off. Or at least they used to, before things started getting bad._

__

_Lily… Lily is almost exactly like James. Well, not_ exactly _, but pretty close. When I met her at first, she seemed kind of conceited (she was a cert, I can’t really blame her that much), she’s extremely stubborn, she’s incredibly loyal, and she talks about James way too much. James seems conceited until you get to know him, he’s stubborn, he’s loyal, and he talks about Lily way too much. See my point?_

__

_And Remus? Remus just keeps me from going insane most of the time._

__

__

-Ryan Miller, Lady Marauder

~*~*~*~*

~“How’d it go?”� Alice asked a little hesitantly.

 

“It was…”� Lily trailed off, searching for the right word. “Better than I thought it would be.”�

 

“He really is taking it seriously, you know,”� Ryan said.

 

“Yes, I know,”� Lily said, sitting down. “He made that clear as soon as we started the meeting with the prefects.”�

 

Ryan laughed slightly. “You don’t know how many times he practiced that speech. He wanted to make sure he showed everyone he really was going to take it seriously.”� 

 

It was true. He had driven her and Remus up the wall the whole summer, asking how he could prove to Lily he really liked her, and not just how she looked. Ryan had suggested he stop being such a conceited prick around her. Remus had suggested he start calling her Lily. She had agreed with Remus’ idea, but had to add that James needed to listen to her idea too if he wanted to get anywhere.

 

When James got the badge, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. If he could pull off the whole Head Boy thing, Lily would have to take notice. Especially since she was probably Head Girl. So all he had to do (besides calling her by her first name) was get everyone to respect him because he was the Head Boy and prove that it really _was_ important and that he _could_ take thing seriously. Well, things besides Quidditch.

 

“Yes, the poor dear had to spend her whole summer with the Marauders,”� Morgan said, trying to look sympathetic. Morgan was the most girly and flirty of the bunch. She wasn’t to the point of having a track record as long as Sirius Black (“I can’t find the right girl,”� his motto was, “so I’ll just have fun with the wrong ones.”�), but she’d had her fair share of boyfriends.

 

“As apposed to some of us, who spent the summer with her _boyfriend_ ,”� Lily teased. Lily was the bookworm, simply put.

 

Alice blushed. “He’s in auror training. I had to see him while I had the chance.”� Alice was usually the reasonable one, but all her reason usually went out the window when Frank Longbottom was around. Frank had graduated the year before, and luckily had finally asked Alice out before the end of the year.

 

“I’m sure that’s the only reason,”� Morgan said sarcastically, rolling her eyes. “So how was your summer, Lily?”�

 

“It could have been worse,”� Lily said slowly. They all knew that Lily’s sister hated her because she was different. Summer usually wasn’t Lily’s favorite time of the year. “What about you, Ryan?”�

 

“It was… an experience,”� Ryan said. Ryan had moved to Hogwarts when they were in the fifth year, only knowing three of the four Marauders. She was Seeker for the Quidditch team and tended to bounce back and forth between the girls and the Marauders, which was dangerous considering she was good friends with both Lily and James. Very few people were brave enough– or stupid enough– to try that. 

 

“I can imagine,”� Lily said. “I still don’t understand how you do it.”�

 

“You will soon,”� Ryan muttered, but no one heard her.

 

~*~*~*~*

~“Guess what she did.”�

 

James gave Sirius a questioning look as he walked into the compartment. “Who?”�

 

“Wheat!”� Sirius exclaimed. “Guess what she did.”�

 

“Did she kick you out of the compartment, by any chance?”� Remus asked, walking in behind James.

 

“Yeah,”� Sirius said. “Can you believe it?”�

 

“Yes,”� James and Remus said at the same time.

 

“I told you, Padfoot,”� Peter said. 

 

“You know how she is,”� James said, throwing himself onto the seat. “There’s only one person out of the four of us she wouldn’t kick out of the compartment, and that’s only because he- how did she put it?- won’t cause problems.”�

 

Remus smiled slightly, but didn’t say anything. “I think she just likes him better,”� Sirius said, grinning. James and Peter snickered.

 

“Starting a little early this year, aren’t we, Padfoot?”� Remus said dryly, pulling out a book. The other three exchanged grins.

 

It was common knowledge with the Marauders that Remus had a crush on Ryan. Well, the male Marauders. He had since they were eight; he just refused to admit it. And James was pretty sure that Ryan liked Remus (not that he could be talking with his record with Lily). It was just a matter of the two of them admitting it to themselves.

 

“How was the meeting?”� Peter asked. 

 

“It was alright,”� James said slowly. “I think I’m making progress.”�

 

“I would’ve paid to see the look on Evans’ face when she found out you got the badge,”� Sirius said, smirking.

 

“I bet she would’ve paid to see the look on your face when you found out, Sirius,”� Ryan said calmly from the doorway of the compartment, crossing her arms and grinning.

 

“I don’t think she would have,”� Peter said.

 

Ryan rolled her eyes. “I was kidding, Peter. It’s called sarcasm.”�

 

Peter and Ryan never really got along. Peter thought Ryan was trying to take his place and resented her for it. Ryan just didn’t trust him. Usually, when Ryan told you she didn’t trust someone, it was a good idea to listen to her. Her powers came in handy for that. But James didn’t care what she said this time. He would trust all the Marauders with his life.

 

“Let me get this straight,”� Sirius said. “You kicked me out, and then you came in here?”�

 

Ryan grinned. “I didn’t come to talk to you. I came because James wanted me to. And I thought that the sane one could use a little relief.”�

 

“The sane one thanks you,”� Remus said, smiling slightly. James and Sirius exchanged looks and had to stifle snickers all over again.

 

“Did she say anything?”� James asked.

 

Ryan hesitated a little. “She said she could tell you were taking this seriously.”�

 

“That’s all?”�

 

“It’s progress, James. You can take it or leave it. At least she didn’t say anything bad about you.”�

 

“That could even be considered a compliment by Evans standards,”� Sirius said. 

 

Ryan nodded. “Towards you anyways.”�

 

“So are we going out tonight or not?”� Sirius asked, never being able to stay on one subject very long.

 

“Doesn’t matter to me,”� Ryan said, stepping all the way into the compartment and closing the door behind her. “I just have to get past Morgan and Alice because Lily’ll be patrolling.”�

 

“Meaning I do too,”� James grumbled.

 

“You don’t have to-“ Remus started.

 

“We _want_ to, Rem,”� Ryan said, smiling at how worried he was. “It’d be a waste of research if we didn’t.”�

 

“A waste of research?”� James asked. He snorted. “Like you did most of it.”�

 

“I helped,”� Ryan said, trying to sound offended, but her smile gave her away. 

 

Ryan had seemed to fit right in with the Marauders as soon as she came, but there was a lot she had missed out on. Even though she helped a little with the research on how they could help Remus, they had already done a lot by the time she came. They had even figured out that the only way they could _really_ help was to become animagi, they just had to figure out how. Then after they figured it out and put the finishing touches on the map, Ryan wouldn’t let them put her name on it. She felt like they had done most of the work to make it without her, so she shouldn’t get the credit.

 

“I mean it you guys,”� Remus said seriously. “You don’t have to do it.”�

 

“But we already have,”� Sirius said. “Been there, done that. Besides, this is our last year. We have to make it a good one.”� He threw a wink at Remus that made him blush and that, luckily, Ryan missed.

 

“All for making this year the best ever say aye,”� James said.

 

“Aye!”�

 

“So there’s your answer. I’ll just have sneak past Lily somehow. I might be a little late.”�

 

“Me too,”� Ryan said. “Alice and Morgan might not let me out, especially since Lily’s not there. I’ll get there when I can get there, I s’pose.”� She mock bowed. “And now I must be leaving you all. As much as I enjoy your company, I must get back to sane people.”�

 

“Sane people?”� Sirius asked. “But, Wheat, sane people are _boring_.”�

 

Ryan laughed. “I could use a little boring. I’m still afraid I might be attacked by a demented lizard.”�

 

Peter scowled as the other three laughed.

 

“Oh, come on, Pete,”� James said, patting him on the back after Ryan left. “She was just kidding.”�

 

Peter muttered something that the rest didn’t hear. The other three exchanged a look before shrugging. Sure, Peter and Ryan argued all the time, but they would still help each other out. They still trusted each other. They wouldn’t betray each other.

 

But sometimes a person can only be pushed so far…

 

…before they are pushed over the edge.

 

&&&&&&&&&&&&  
Nice, right? Okay, I'm not sure whether or not this is going to come out with the tags or not, because it keeps showing that it will. So if it does, I'm sorry. But you all know how to read the tags, right? Oh course you do. So just read around the tags if they're there, enjoy the fact that they aren't if they don't show up. And please review. ^__^


	3. A Little Hope

**Summary** \- “You would never think the two of them could ever get together, but I know that you should always expect to unexpected. Especially when it comes to two people as stubborn as James Potter and Lily Evans.”� After years of arguing, when Lily Evans and James Potter are forced together, everyone predicts that the school will collapse. It may take a little help from a few of their friends to show them just how perfect for each other they really are.  
 **Disclaimer** \- Hm, let’s think about this. If I were J. K. Rowling, would I need to put my story here? No, I didn’t think so. So, therefore, by process of elimination, could I possibly J. K. Rowling? If you said no, you’d be right.

 

**Chapter 3- A Little Hope**

_I have some of the best mates you could ask for. All four of them risked Azkaban. For me, no less._

__

_How did we meet? Everyone seems to wonder that. How did the infamous Marauders meet. We didn’t all meet at the same time. James and Sirius met first, and Peter joined us last. I met James and Sirius on ‘Bring Your Child to Work’ Day at the ministry, where all three of our dads were working at the time. I think we were five. Sirius and James had become friends the year before almost immediately after they met, but they had only gotten to talk a time or two in the past year._

__

_Sirius is a Black and James is a Potter, which is why it was so difficult for them to talk to each other. In most cases, the Blacks and the Potters are avowed enemies. But not this time. Mr. Potter was a lot more open to the two of them being friends than Mr. Black was. Sirius’ father would rather that Sirius became friends with Lucius Malfoy than with James Potter. And myself, of course (the lousy half breed, half-blood that I am). I think that’s part of the reason why Sirius became such good friends with James; his father hated James, and Sirius hated his father._

__

_I met them while they were hiding from Sirius’ father. “Siri’s daddy doesn’t like me very much,”� James had told me. So, because I helped them hide, all three of us became best friends. Strange how things work out sometimes._

__

_Sirius and I visited James a lot over the next six years. I didn’t know until later how Sirius ever managed to convince his parents to let him visit James. Sirius would have his cousin Andromeda, who lived down the street from James and was about seven years older than us, sneak him out and over to James’s. I always knew I liked that girl._

__

_Ryan was James’ neighbor at the time. She just seemed to appear out of nowhere one day. “Jimmy, my mummy and your mummy said you have to play with me even if you have other friends over!”� James had complained that she was just a stupid girl with cooties, what did she know? Ryan kicked him hard in the shins. “I know that hurts!”� she told him as he yelled out. “And girls aren’t the ones with cooties! Stop being such a meanie because you don’t want_ them _–“ She gave Sirius and me the coldest glare her six-year-old self could muster. The one and only time Ryan Miller’s glare has been directed at me personally. “–to know that you play with a girl. I’m better at flying than you are anyway!”�_

__

_Needless to say, as embarrassed as James was to have a friend that was a girl, Ryan joined our group. The four musketeers. The Marauders, as Mr. Potter called us. I didn’t mind having her around, to be honest (Padfoot’ll tell you it’s because I fancied her; don’t believe a word he says). She was just as tough as any of us, and made sure we knew it too. We always gave her the dirtiest jobs–like telling her she had to get the ball Sirius had “accidentally”� kicked under the porch after it rained–but she never complained. She was smiling almost all the time. She would climb under the porch, make sure the ball was muddy before she came back out, and then give it to Sirius (“Here you go, Siri!”�)._

__

_When Rye’s little brother Daniel was born, we all decided to adopt him as our little brother. We were eight by then and knew enough to pull pretty harmless pranks, but we were determined to Danny everything we knew as soon as he got old enough._

__

_We were also old enough to realize that Mrs. Miller wasn’t doing so well. She didn’t come over as often to help Mrs. Potter watch us, and when she did, she never played with us like she used to. And happy, go-lucky Ryan was moody a lot. When we asked Mrs. Potter about it, she just said that Ryan was worried about her mum and that Mrs. Miller would be fine. Sadly, she was wrong._

__

_The day of Mrs. Miller’s funeral was the first time I ever saw Ryan in a dress. And the first and only time I’ve ever seen her cry. Pretty soon after that, the Millers moved away, taking our little brother and our best friend away for what felt like forever. Over the next six years, James was the only one to stay in contact with Ryan. I think it was an agreement that Ryan and her father made._

__

_I think that’s part of the reason we became Peter’s friend. We needed someone to fill that hole that was there after Rye left. He was fine, but he didn’t completely fill the gap. There still seemed to be something missing to me, but I’m not sure the others ever noticed it._

__

_Then, in fifth year, in the ‘miracle of ‘75’ as James calls it, Rye came back. I almost didn’t recognize her. Okay, I didn’t recognize her. If you walked up to two of your best friends one day, and they were talking to a pretty girl you had never seen before (at least you didn’t think so), you wouldn’t think it was your long-lost fourth member either. But as soon as I asked who she was, and Sirius answered with a_ very _loud “Wheat’s back!”�, I knew. And from there, as they say, it was history._

__

_Ryan, being forced to be the messenger since she was, quote, ‘a girl’ (some things never really change, as she had said), didn’t exactly get along with Lily at first. I think she got along with Alice the best in the beginning, but eventually somehow she and Lily became friends. Now she and Lily are probably closer than Peter and me. Strange how those things work out sometimes._

__

_Ryan is probably the bravest person I know. Not just because she’s friends with Lily and James either. She’s moved all over the world, and she still manages to smile all the time. I’ve only seen her mad once, and that was at James (that’s a whole other story in itself; ask Prongs about it sometime). And she usually smiles unless she’s talking to her dad._

__

_She also has some powers. According to her, they are called the Power of the Phoenix. But that’s her story to tell you._

_-Remus Lupin_

__

~*~*~*~*~

“I wouldn’t want to be crossing the lake in this weather,”� Ryan said, looking up at the sky and pulling her cloak tighter around her as she jumped off the train. She looked over and saw Remus get into a carriage with Madame Pomphrey. “We might not need to do it tonight.”�

 

“Do what tonight?”� Morgan asked.

 

“Uh… Nothing,”� Ryan said quickly. “We’d better hurry up and get a carriage before we end up having to ride up with Greasy.”�

 

“Ryan,”� Alice said, trying to sound disapproving.

 

“Well, would you rather me call him Snivelly? Because I can if you really want me to.”� Ryan started walking backwards, a pretty stupid and dangerous thing to do in a station full of people, especially when it’s the first day back to school, it looks like it’s about to rain, it’s extremely windy, and kind of cold.

 

Alice watched Ryan weave her way through people without having to look where she was going. Alice shook her head before answering. “It would be best if you called him Snape, like normal people do.”�

 

“Normal people are _boring_ ,”� Ryan whined, making Morgan laugh. 

 

“This coming from you of all people,”� Morgan said.

 

Ryan shrugged. “They were normal at one point. At least I think so.”� She frowned thoughtfully. “Or maybe I didn’t used to be normal.”�

 

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”�

 

Ryan turned back around, choosing to ignore the comment. Morgan and Alice exchanged a look as Ryan hopped up into a carriage. Ryan usually avoided talking about her powers if she had a choice. It wasn’t that she had something against them exactly (or so she claimed), she just didn’t want to talk about them because of what they stood for. Alice and Morgan still weren’t exactly sure what it was that her powers stood for, but they knew it wasn’t the best of ideas to ask her straight out. 

 

“Lily’ll catch up with us later, right?”� Ryan asked after they closed the door to the carriage. The carriage jerked and started moving up the drive towards the school.

 

“That’s what she said,”� Morgan answered. “Be prepared for her to be in a bad mood though.”�

 

“Why?”�

 

“The Head Boy and Girl have to ride up to school together.”�

 

Ryan winced in sympathy for both of her friends. “Ouch.”�

 

“Ouch is right,”� Morgan agreed. “So, just to warn you, she might be in a ranting mood.”�

 

“Lily? In a ranting mood? After spending time alone with James?”� Ryan asked, pretending to be shocked (but still with a slight grin on her face). “You _have_ to be kidding me. Why would Lily be in a ranting mood-“

 

“All right, Ryan,”� Alice said, cutting her off. “We understand.”�

 

“Ah, but you only have to hear one side of it,”� Ryan said. ”�And it’s the non-desperate side of it too. And if you want my opinion, I think that little Miss Evans better watch herself this year.”�

 

“Why?”� Morgan asked.

 

Ryan smirked. “To quote James, she might ‘fall for the Potter charm.’”�

 

“Do you honestly think Lily Evans and James Potter could ever possibly get together?”� Alice asked.

 

“Not right now,”� Ryan said with an easy shrug, “but I do know if they don’t start getting along, this school will fall apart. And, contrary to popular belief, both of them care too much for this school to let it fall apart. And I also know that you should always expect to unexpected. Especially when it comes to two people as stubborn as James Potter and Lily Evans.”�

 

Morgan often times wondered if Ryan really knew more than she let on.

 

~*~*~*~*~

Silence. It was safer and easier than trying to talk to him. Although, Lily knew, she would have to talk to him eventually if she planned to get anything done. She couldn’t avoid him forever. And he _had_ seemed better earlier, like he had finally decided to grow up. 

 

James Potter, grow up? _We’ll see how long that lasts,_ she thought wryly.

 

James cleared his throat, making her look over at him. “Er… Have a nice summer?”� he asked.

 

Lily shrugged. “It was alright. What about you?”� As much as she hated polite conversation, it was better than silence. Even when she had to have polite conversation with Potter.

 

“Pretty good.”� She expected him to talk about some near death experience or some great prank he came up with, but she was a little surprised when he left it at that.

 

They lapsed back into silence. A sudden thought occurred to Lily as the carriage started slowing down. “Do you realize this is the longest we have ever gone without fighting?”�

 

“That could have something to do with the fact we only said about five words to each other,”� James said, He shrugged. “But, hey, I’m not complaining.”� The carriage stopped and they jumped out. James watched Lily run up towards the castle and added quietly to himself, “Maybe there is hope for me still.”�

 

~*~*~*~*~

Lily slid into the seat next to Alice. “Not a word,”� Morgan said slightly threateningly.

 

“I don’t have anything to complain about,”� Lily said honestly.

 

“That’s because A, James _has_ grown up a little, with my help,”� Ryan said, grinning. “And B, because you only said, what, five words to each other?”�

 

“James said it was closer to twenty,”� Sirius said, sitting beside Ryan. 

 

“He counted?”� Ryan asked.

 

Sirius shrugged. “Probably.”� He leaned over and whispered, “If this clears up, meet me and Pete by the statue of Cassandra the Calm at midnight.”� Ryan nodded. He stood back up. “Nice talking to you lovely ladies,”� he said, bowing before going over and sitting with James and Peter.

 

“What did he want?”� Morgan asked.

 

Ryan shrugged. “Prank stuff. You know, the usual.”� 

 

“Where’s Remus?”� Lily asked, looking down the table. “He’s not sitting with them.”�

 

“He… uh… He wasn’t feeling well,”� Ryan said. “He went to the hospital wing.”�

 

“He gets sick a lot,”� Alice said.

 

“His family does too,”� Morgan said. “He was out at least five time last year.”�

 

“Do you know anyone that’s getting sorted?”� Ryan asked quickly, trying to change the subject. They didn’t get a chance to answer as the doors opened and a long line of first years walked in, led by Professor McGongall.

 

Everyone turned to look at the sorting hat that sat on a stool in front of the staff table. The brim opened and the hat began.

 

_“Though I may look old and drawn_

_All you need to do is put me on…”�_

 

Ryan didn’t bother to listen to the rest of it. James and her father had told her about the sorting, and she had seen it twice already. Nothing ever changed anyway. The hat sang a new song, of course, but after you hear a sorting song or two, they all sound the same.

 

No, she was trying to figure out whether or not they would need to go out to help Remus that night. She closed her eyes and tried to close the sorting hat out of her mind. After a couple of seconds, she heard a distant howl. 

 

_Well, that’s clear enough._

 

She reopened her eyes in time to join in the clapping for the sorting hat. During the actual sorting, she managed to get James’ attention and let him know that, more than likely, the clouds would clear up enough for Remus to transform. It was better that way anyway; at least if it cleared up Remus wouldn’t have to be by himself in that house the whole night.

 

“Ryan!”�

Ryan turned to look at the other three. “What?”�

 

“You weren’t listening to a word I said, were you?”� Morgan asked.

 

“’Course I was,”� Ryan said easily, noticing that the food had appeared on the table and starting to put some on her plate. “You were talking about how I couldn’t go out tonight because Lily won’t be there and we have to have our ‘Back to School Celebration’ with as many of us as possible. I heard you.”� Lily gave her a look that said she obviously didn’t believe it. Ryan grinned. “I got the gist anyway.”�

 

“So you don’t have any pranks planned for tonight, right?”� Morgan asked.

 

“No pranks,”� Ryan said slowly.

 

“But?”� Alice asked.

 

“But… I might have to leave around midnight.”� The other three groaned.

 

“If it’s not a prank, what is it?”� Morgan asked.

 

Ryan paused, thinking. She shrugged. “The guys want to have a back to school celebration of their own.”�

 

“That sounds fair enough,”� Alice said reasonably. Ryan could have hugged her. 

 

“But why does it have to be tonight?”� Morgan asked. “They’ve never wanted to do anything before.”�

 

“It’s never been our last year before either,”� Ryan said pointedly. “Lily, stop giving me that look!”�

 

“What look?”� Lily asked innocently. Ryan rolled her eyes. She could lie to just about anyone (powers can come in handy sometimes) except for Lily, James, and Remus. James knew her too well to _not_ know when she was lying, Remus was naturally sensitive to those kind of things, and Lily… Lily just knew, as Ryan would put it.

 

“You know what I mean,”� Ryan said, grinning. “The one that says, ‘I know what you’re saying is a complete load of bull shit.’”�

 

“Ryan,”� Alice said warningly, but Lily just said, “Was that the look I was giving you? Hm, and I was trying so hard not to let you notice.”�

 

“Tired, Lils?”� Ryan teased. Lily rarely resorted to sarcasm, and only did when she was tired. And she _hated{/I]_ being called Lils.

 

Lily gave her a glare that was reserved just for the Marauders. “Very. I can’t wait until this is over so that I can spend four hours with James Potter. Then, by the time I get up there, you’ll be just leaving. Might I add that this is to celebrate with the afore mentioned… person.”� 

 

Morgan and Ryan exchanged grins. Luckily for Lily, Dumbledore stood up, stopping them from saying anything they were planning to say.

 

“Welcome to a new school year,”� he called. “I have a few announcements before I send you up to bed. First, this year our Head Girl is Lily Evans–”� He motioned for Lily to stand up and waited while everyone clapped politely. “–And our Head Boy is James Potter.”� There were a lot more cheers for James than there were for Lily, but that could have had something to do with the fact that James had the Marauders cheering for him, and they were louder than half the students. No, wait, correction- _Sirius_ was loud enough for half of the students. Lily rolled her eyes, but Ryan noticed James was smiling sheepishly. She grinned to herself.

 

“I would like to remind you that Quidditch try-outs are next weekend,”� Dumbledore continued when the cheers died down. “The Gryffindor team wished for me to tell you that there are no open positions this year– “ There were loud groans all along the table. “–And first years are not allowed to try out. I would also like to remind you that the Forbidden Forest is, as the name suggests, forbidden. You would all do well to remember that.”� He looked at the Marauders at that point. 

 

“I believe that is all. Dismissed!”�

 

“Hey, I’ll catch up with you in a sec, ’ight?”� Ryan said to Morgan and Alice as Lily ran off to help the fifth year prefects.

 

“Okay, but you’re not free until midnight, young lady!”� Morgan called after her teasingly. Ryan laughed as she weaved her way through the crowd to Sirius and Peter.

 

“It’ll clear up,”� she said.

 

“Any idea when?”� Sirius asked. 

 

She shook her head. “Could be any time. My guess is about one, judging from the moon, but I’m not sure.”�

 

“All right. Still Cassandra the Calm at midnight then?”�

 

“I’ll meet you there,”� Ryan said before dodging out of the Great Hall and up the stairs.


	4. Full Moons and Mornings

**Summary-** “You would never think the two of them could ever get together, but I know that you should always expect to unexpected. Especially when it comes to two people as stubborn as James Potter and Lily Evans.” After years of arguing, when Lily Evans and James Potter are forced together, everyone predicts that the school will collapse. It may take a little help from a few of their friends to show them just how perfect for each other they really are.

**Disclaimer-** Hm, let’s think about this. If I _were_ J. K. Rowling, would I need to put my story here? No, I didn’t think so. So, therefore, by process of elimination, could I possibly J. K. Rowling? If you said no, you’d be right.

**Chapter 4- Full Moons and Mornings**

_When did I start liking Lily Evans? Well, believe it or not, I’ve fancied her since first year. Yes,_ first year. _Only the Marauders know that, and I really wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t believe me. No one else does. She definitely doesn’t._

_I noticed her the first time I saw her. Yes, I know we were only eleven and most people believe it isn’t possible to know that young, but I had a crush on her the first time I saw her on the platform in first year. Before she had her braces (summer between second and third year), before she got her glasses (summer between third and fourth year), and before any of the girls had… well, you know._

_Why does everyone always think it’s just for the challenge? To get the unreachable. To finally melt the ‘Ice Queen.’ Well, no one really calls her the Ice Queen, but she really is untouchable. Seriously. She’s only had one boyfriend and I don’t think she’s ever been kissed (“Ahem.”). Oh, only joking. Of course she’s been kissed, and I’m sure she’s had more than one boyfriend. But she is_ definitely _still a virgin, regardless of whether or not the vast majority of the upper-Hogwarts students are. (“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Rye says, sounding amused. “Want to tell your story, James?”) Nah, I’ll save that for another day. Anyway._

_But I really do like her, honest. I’m not that much of a prick to just go after a girl because I can’t have her (do I look like Padfoot to you? No, just kidding, he’s not that big a prick either. You all know his motto)._

_Of course, she doesn’t know that. She thinks that I only looked at her as a prank victim until fifth year. All because Padfoot pranked her the first night. I didn’t even have anything to do with that prank. I just mentioned to Sirius that I thought she was cute, so he decided to prank her. He just put peas in her hair. If she hadn’t screamed, she was Marauder worthy. If she did… Well, let’s just say that eleven year old Sirius Black had very little respect for the opposite gender when we were eleven (except for Ryan, but by then she had been gone for three years and we didn’t even consider her a girl half of the time)._

_Well, Lily obviously screamed (as most eleven year old girls would), and I was the first one she saw, and I got blamed. Okay, so maybe I was sitting closest to her, and so maybe I laughed a bit, but she didn’t have to blame me! I was innocent—that time. And so maybe I pranked her a few times over the next four years, but that didn’t mean she had to hate me._

_A lot of things changed in fifth year. The first thing was Ryan’s return. The second thing was that was the year we all learned how to be Animaguses. The third thing was Miss Lily Evans._

_She came back from the summer between fourth and fifth year looking… different. More grown up, I guess is the word for it. The ‘nerd’ with braces had perfectly straight, white teeth. The ‘geek’ with glasses had gotten contacts. The dorky girl that had left at the end of fourth year came back with curves in all the right places._

_The only reason I started asking her out in fifth year was because I suddenly realized I might not be the only one that fancied her. Yes, even though we never got a long. Even though we called each other by our surnames (I made the mistake of calling her Evans the first time I asked her out; never call a girl by her surname if you want positive results). Even though she hated me and she thought I hated her. And even when she turned me down, I was persistent. Persistent enough to ask her out twenty-eight times in one week (Moony counted one time for “blackmail when you either move on or get married,” as he put it). But that was an extreme case. Usually it was only three times a week, tops._

_And what did I get for my troubles over the past two years? About a dozen slaps in the face and a girl that hates me more than the entire Slytherin house combined._

_But I digress. I deserved it. I was a bit… arrogant in the way I asked her out. (“A bit arrogant!” Ryan exclaims in disbelief. “Your bloody head wouldn’t fit through the door, you were so arrogant!”) Okay, very arrogant. (“Hark, a grain of truth!” Padfoot yells, grinning.) But I’m working on it. Ryan and Remus agreed to help me._

_She’ll say yes, just you wait._

_-James Potter_

&-&-&-&-&

“She’s late,” Peter grumbled.

“She’ll be here,” Sirius said easily, leaning against the statue of Cassandra the Calm. “Give her a bit of a break, Wormtail.” 

There was a sudden burst of flames two steps to the right of Peter and he jumped back, toppling over. “Oh, I’m sorry, Peter,” Ryan said quickly, reaching out to give him a hand up. He pulled himself up and glared at her. “I always manage to land by you, don’t I?” she asked, looking apologetic. 

“Usually,” Peter said darkly. “Why were you late?”

“They nearly put an anti-disapparation jinx on me,” Ryan said, smiling slightly.

“Who would’ve cast it?” Sirius asked, sounding surprised that one of the three other girls would even threaten anyone.

“Morgan,” Ryan said easily. “She does all the threatening. I thought you knew that. It wouldn’t’ve worked anyway. You can’t really apparate in here. We’d better get going.”

“Yeah, Prongs said he’d meet us down there,” Sirius said. “Has it cleared up?”

“A bit,” Ryan said, shrugging. “Not enough for the moon to show. It _will_ clear up though. I know it will.”

“Because you have such wonderful powers that make you all powerful and knowing,” Sirius said jokingly, throwing James’ invisibility cloak over himself.

“Of course,” Ryan replied, grinning.

“We’d better get down there before it does clear up, then,” Sirius said. “Come on, Pete, Ryan can get down there on her own.”

“I’m glad you have so much faith in me,” she said, smirking. She mock saluted the spot where Sirius and Peter had disappeared. “See you in a minute.” There was another burst of flames and she disappeared.

“How does she do that?” Peter asked as they started down the hallway.

Sirius shrugged. “She just does. Powers of the Phoenix, or something.”

The two of them got to the doors of the Entrance Hall about the same time as James. “How was patrolling?” Peter asked as Sirius threw off the cloak of them.

“I don’t have any hand prints on the side of my face, do I?” James asked dryly.

“That good, huh?” Sirius asked, grinning.

“That good.”

By the time they got to the tree, Ryan was leaning up against it calmly, her foot on the lump that would hold the tree still. Every full moon, Remus went down a tunnel to a place called the Shrieking Shack. The villagers of Hogsmeade thought it was haunted, but it was really just Remus they heard. The entrance to the tunnel was guarded by a tree that was affectionately called the Whomping Willow. 

“I thought you three would never get here,” she said when she saw them.

“Oh, shut it,” James snapped.

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “Have fun patrolling, Jimmy?” He just motioned for her to climb down the tunnel first. 

Instead of going, she pointed up. They all looked up just as the clouds moved aside, revealing a full moon. “We might want to transform before we go down there.” About ten seconds later, a rat raced past her, closely followed by a dog. “Alrighty, then,” she said, looking at the stag in front of her. “My turn then.”

A few minutes later, a phoenix gracefully landed on a werewolf’s head. The werewolf seemed to calm down a little bit. At least until a dog playfully bit his tail. The werewolf turned around, tackling the dog just as playfully. The phoenix chirped and flew over the railing on the staircase to watch as a stag joined the game and a rat weaved in and out between the others legs.

_Idiots,_ she thought, smiling inwardly. _Very adorable, loveable idiots. But still… Idiots._

&-&-&-&-&

“Up!” Ryan felt herself be whacked with a pillow and muttered a swear word. “Hey, that’s a new one. What language was that in?”

“Portuguese.”

“I thought you hated Portuguese.” 

“Not as much as I hate mornings,” Ryan said, putting a pillow over her head.

Lily laughed from the other side of the room. “And I thought I was tired.”

“Not nearly as Miss Marauder, I’d say,” Morgan said. “I’ll pull you off the bed.” Ryan didn’t answer. “Alright, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” She grabbed her friends legs and yanked. Ryan tumbled off the bed and onto the floor.

“Ow. That kind of hurt.”

“I warned you.”

“Yeah, I know.” Ryan got up off the floor and walked over to the bathroom. She turned back to the others. “For the record, I’m always tired. Happens when you’re best friends with the Marauders.” She grinned. “At least I’m not hung over.”

Morgan laughed as Lily and Alice tried to look disapproving. “That’s not funny, Ryan.”

“Yes, it is,” Morgan said, still laughing slightly. “I’d like to see Ryan hung over on the first day of school. It would be interesting. No, wait, I think it would be interesting to see Ryan hung over _any_ day.”

“I’m sorry, dear, but I don’t _get_ hung over,” Ryan said, smiling sweetly. 

Morgan laughed again. “I doubt that. I bet the guys could tell me.”

“Ask ‘em, if you don’t believe me.”

“I will.” Ryan grinned again before going into the bathroom.

Alice smiled slightly and shook her head. “I will never understand her.”

“She’s not a morning person, by any stretch,” Lily said. “That much I know for sure. I think she gets out all her… _unpleasantness_ in the morning. I’m glad she’s not like that all the time.”

“Amen to that,” Morgan agreed. “Imagine surviving OWLs with the morning Ryan.” She pretended to shudder. “Don’t know if I would’ve made it without the stress relief.” Lily and Alice laughed. 

“Should we leave her?” Lily asked.

“Yeah,” Morgan said. “She can manage.” She walked over to the closed bathroom door. “Hey, Rye? We’re going on down, alright?” A muffled sound came through and Morgan turned to the others. “That’s a yes, I’d say.”

&-&-&-&-&

“Time tables coming down,” Ryan said, passing down a stack of papers.

“’Shame that Aurors have to take Potions,” James said, sighing.

“’Shame that we have to have it with Slytherins again,” Ryan added, making a face.

“Not a shame, my dear Wheat,” Sirius said, smirking. “Absolutely _fantastic._ We have a class to play pranks on them in.”

“That’s what Care of Magical Creatures is for, Si,” Ryan replied. “Although it might not be such a good idea,” she added thoughtfully, “considering the last time we did that, Kettleburn jumped so much he got another finger bit off but,” she shrugged, “that can’t be helped. Besides, you can’t interrupt Potions, I need to pass that class.”

“We all need to pass that class,” Remus said.

“Not me,” Peter piped up. The others looked at him. “What? I don’t. You don’t need Potions to work as a Code-breaker.”

“And if you pull pranks in Potions, Peter will miss them,” Ryan added, smiling slightly. 

“Can’t have that,” Sirius said, mock-seriously. “Okay, just for you, Wormy, all pranks will be in Care of Magical Creatures.”

“And I do believe that would be my notice to leave,” Ryan said, bowing. “I’ll see you in Transfiguration, right?” 

“Unless you’re a complete idiot and somehow managed to not make it into the NEWT level class,” James said.

“Practice not being so pricky, James,” she added with a smirk before walking off.

“I can be pricky to you!” James called after her. 

“Moony disagrees,” Sirius said, earning him a hit in the back of the head. “Ow!”

“Besides, that wasn’t pricky,” James said, turning to the others. “Was it?”

“It would have been if you said it to Lily,” Remus said.

“Yeah, but to Ryan, it’s not. At least no more than usual. Right?”

“My opinion, mate,” Sirius said as seriously as he could, “is that you give it up and stop trying to figure out if that was pricky or not.”

“And my advice is that you just try to be her friend,” Remus said. “Prove to her you actually want to get to know her and not—“

“Just the _inside_ of her,” Sirius said, winking at James. Remus smacked him again. “Hey!”

“It’s at the top of my list, Moony,” James promised. “The very top.”

&-&-&-&-&

“Good morning, Sunshine,” Morgan teased as Ryan sat down. Ryan stuck her tongue out at her.

“What classes do we have?” Alice asked, ignoring them.

“Double Transfiguration,” Lily read off. She groaned. “What a wonderful way to start the year.”

“At least it’s every Thursday and not every Monday,” Alice said consolingly. “And we _do_ have Charms today too.” Transfiguration was Lily’s worst subject. As much as she loved Professor McGongall (who was actually pretty nice once she liked you), she hated Transfiguration. Ryan, Alice, and Morgan told her she just needed to be more confident when it came to transfiguring things and she wouldn’t have any trouble. Lily claimed she just needed to not have it with the Marauders.

“I’m almost afraid to ask, but how was patrolling?” Ryan asked.

“Honestly?” Lily said. “Not as bad as I thought it would be, but still horrible.”

Ryan smiled sympathetically as the bell rang. The four got up and headed towards Transfiguration. “Is it going to be a good day or a bad day?” Morgan teased. Ever since Morgan found out about her powers, she had teased Ryan to no end about them. Mostly Ryan’s tiny knack for being able to predict the future. Ryan usually just brushed off her comments for reasons she didn’t want to talk about.

“Will be for me,” Ryan replied, grinning. “Maybe not so much for the _rest_ of you.” Morgan laughed slightly, shaking her head. The four of them sat near the front on one side. McGongall stood by her desk, waiting for everyone to come in. When everyone was seated, she called their attention.

“It is my belief that some of you are not nearly as open to the ideas of others as you should be,” she said sternly. Her eyes rested on moment on the Marauders and rested again on Lily, who was looking at the Marauders and rolling her eyes. "Because of this, I will be putting all of you into pairs. You and your partner will be doing a term paper on the subject of your choice, with my approval, which will be due at the last class before the holidays.”

Everyone looked at each other uncertainly. Not open to ideas? Pairs? Term paper? This didn’t sound good. Didn’t she know they had NEWTs to worry about?!

“Yes, Pettigrew, _I_ will be choosing the pairs.” Peter put his arm back down. “The pairs will be a boy and a girl.” Half the room groaned, about a quarter of the room whispered excitedly (all of them girls in the Marauder fan club), and the last quarter of the room rolled their eyes at the other three quarters. McGongall’s glare shut them up fast enough. “You will also be sitting next to your partner during my classes. Most importantly, I do not want to hear of any complaints about your partner. The two of you must work _together_ on this project. Understood?”

“At least we don’t have this class with Slytherin,” Ryan muttered.

“Miller? Is there something you would like to say?”

Ryan smiled innocently. “No, Professor. Just commenting on how happy I am that we have this class with Ravenclaw.” Sirius and James coughed loudly to cover up their laughter and Morgan gave a false cough that sounded oddly like, _”Marauder.”_ Ryan tried hard not to grin.

“I see,” McGongall said, her mouth pressed into a thin line. “I’m sorry to say you won’t be working with a Ravenclaw.”

“I won’t?” Ryan asked, a little surprised. It wasn’t exactly a secret that she was friends with the Marauders. In fact, it wasn’t a secret that she was a Marauder. And McGongall wouldn’t willingly pair up the Marauders, would she? Which meant, Ryan assumed, that she was either working with a Ravenclaw or Shane West or Brandon Smitch, the two other Gryffindor boys in their year

“No, you won’t. Interrupt me again, and I’ll give you a detention.” Ryan kept her mouth shut and tried to look as innocent as she could. McGongall wasn’t fooled. “Unfortunately for you, Miller, I have already decided the pairs. Otherwise I would see to it that you were working with a Ravenclaw.” She picked a piece of parchment up off her desk. 

“Carter and Smitch, come and sit in the front desk please.” Alice and Brandon both shrugged and picked up their stuff before moving to the desk where she had pointed. ”Miller and Lupin, next to them.” Ryan and Remus exchanged a surprised look as they sat down. “Watson and Harding.” Morgan sat next to a Ravenclaw named John Harding. 

Ryan had almost decided that it really wouldn’t be too horrible when McGongall said it. They all knew she was, but hoped she wouldn’t. Especially Ryan. But, no, she just had to say it (AN- because it just wouldn’t be cliché if she didn’t :P). 

“Evans and Potter, middle desk in the second row.” 

 

&&&&&&&&

Fun, fun, fun. Slightly cliched, but you can't write Lily.James without at least a handful of them, can you?


	5. Complaints and Throwing Rocks

**Chapter 5- Complaints and Throwing Rocks**

“Just my luck,” Lily groaned, flopping down onto her bed. “Of all the boys in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, she puts me with _him_. WHY?”

“Lily, be fair,” Alice said. “You said yourself that it seemed like he’d grown up. Maybe he won’t be so bad this year. He hasn’t asked you out at all, has he?”

“No,” Lily admitted reluctantly.

“And how many times did he ask you out on the first day of last year?”

“At least three.” She sighed. “But he’s still James Potter, and I still don’t want to work with him.”

“Your choices are rather limited, dearie,” Morgan said. She smiled slightly. “And I’m _sure_ Kaitlyn or Meredith would be _happy_ to trade with you.”  Kaitlyn Scoder and Meredith Winter were the last two girls in Gryffindor and their year and the founders of the Marauders fan club. They were, well, stuck up to put it nicely.

“I don’t want to help either one of them,” Lily said, making a face as she sat up. 

“True,” Morgan agreed. “And it would be cruel to make even your worst enemy work with one of them. You can consider it practice. You have to meet with him for Head stuff too. Besides, he’s a bloody _genius_ when it comes to Transfiguration.”

“That’s the problem,” Lily groaned. “I have to meet with him enough as it is. _And_ he’s going to be rubbing it in that he can do Transfiguration and I can’t. How much torture—“

“Lily.”

“Okay, not torture. But you know what I mean! What will I do if we argue all the time? He’s a show off in Transfiguration as it is, I don’t need him making fun of me because I can’t turn a kettle into a turtle.”

“I don’t think—“ Morgan started, but Alice gave her a warning look. “Never mind.”

“Don’t think what?” Lily asked suspiciously.

“Nothing,” Morgan said. “It’s just… Maybe you should try – at least a little. I mean, Ryan likes them well enough, doesn’t she? And you get along well enough with Ryan, so they can’t be all bad. That’s all.”

“But Ryan’s known them her whole life,” Lily said, “except for Peter, and you’ve heard how she talks about him.”

“Or lack thereof,” Morgan corrected.

“A the beginning of fifth year, you loathed her because she was friends with them,” Alice reminded Lily.

Lily blushed slightly at the memory. “Okay, I admit, that wasn’t too brilliant on my part. We’re friends now though.“

“Because?” Alice prompted.

“Because… we sat next to each other in Potions.”

“Exactly!” Morgan exclaimed triumphantly. “There you go. It’s just you and Ryan in Potions all over again. With definite differences, of course, but you know what I mean. It’s just another Marauder-forced-sitting-arrangement... thing.”

“But I didn’t really trust her—“ Lily started.

“Until she yelled at James and Sirius for attacking Snape,” Alice finished for her. “Yes, we know. You realized they made her mad at times too. So maybe, if you give James a chance, it will turn out the same way it did with Ryan.” 

Lily sighed. “I guess you’re right. I’ll give him a chance. Not that I really have choice considering the circumstances.”

“And now would be your golden opportunity since you have a meeting with him in thirty minutes,” Morgan said cheerfully.

“I almost forgot,” Lily said, standing up. She paused, frowning. “Where _is_ Ryan?”

“Library, we think,” Morgan said. “She said she had to meet Remus.” She grinned. “And I, personally, hope that she figures something out this year. I’m perfectly willing to do all the matchmaking it takes that too.”

“That’s what you say about everyone’s relationship, Morgan,” Lily said, laughing slightly. “I think she would prefer you just stay out of it.”

“I know she would. But it really doesn’t matter anymore because I’m tired of having the male Marauders staring at us for one reason or another. So, therefore, I’m going to work to get at least one of them to stop staring.”

Lily laughed again, her hand on the doorknob. “Good luck with that. I’ll see you after the meeting.”

“I don’t know what she’s laughing at,” Morgan said as soon as the door shut. “She’s next.”

Alice laughed. “Don’t tell me. Although, please, Morgan, don’t start your matchmaking until _after_ she’s friends with him. It should work much better.”

“A month then,” Morgan said easily. “I’ll give her a month. Then, if I have to, I’ll be… friend-maker. Or something.” Alice just shook her head and smiled.

&-&-&-&-&

_Name: Sirius Black_

_Looks: Dashingly Handsome_

_Position: Hogwarts’ Most Eligible Bachelor/ Hogwarts’ Most Handsome Man/- (“Sirius,” Moony says a little threateningly.)_

_All right, all right. Sheesh, Moony. I’ll tell it, just give me a minute. He’s worse than a girl sometimes— Oi, just kidding Moony! No need to get your knickers in a twist!_ _You see, Moony over here says I have a story that needs to be told so the you will understand the conversation the lovely ladies just had. Not that we ever_ heard _that conversation. We weren’t actually_ there _or anything. Well, physically, we weren’t there. But that’s beside the point, right, Wormtail? It’s not our fault Rye left her mirror out on the table where we could hear everything._

_Anyway, I think it was right after one of our OWLs or something. Prongs and I were just having a little fun, and Evans tried to stop us and basically squashed Prongsie’s pride (again) in the process. So Prongs was taking his frustrations out on Snivellus._

_“Right,” Prongs said furiously. “Right.” There was a flash of light and Snivelly was hanging upside down again. “Who wants me see me take Snivelly’s pants off?”_

_The crowds watching started to cheer, but they stopped when someone said, “James,_ put him down. _” Moony even put his book down when he heard that. Everyone moved out of the way to show Rye standing there. I think I even saw Moony smirking when he saw her, but we all know why that was— Just kidding! Kidding! Moony, you can put the wand down now!_

_Prongs just looked at her. She looked kind of, well, angry? “Come on, Rye, don’t-“_

”Put him down,” _she said through clenched teeth. Her hand was kind of shaking too. I think Prongs is the only one that’s ever seen her like that (besides in the mornings, but she just cusses you out in some other language. She doesn’t actually get_ violent _)._

_“This should be interesting,” Moony muttered. I agreed. Angry Wheat was very interesting._

_“Remus, do us all a favor and shut up,” Rye snapped without looking at him. Moony shrugged and went back to his book, trying to not grin._

_This is where I tried to step in. It was really getting out of hand. I mean, no one questions us. We’re_ the Marauders. _(“Cocky much, Padfoot?” Moony asks.) No one besides Evans questions us. (“I think so,” Wormtail pipes up.) Well, publicly anyway. (“Now that’s more like it,” Moony says.) So we couldn’t ruin our reputations by being questioned by one of our own._

_“Rye, he’s—“ Well, I would have stopped it, but her wand and her hands started sparking. You would jump back if her wand started sparking at you too. There’s a reason her nickname’s Fireball (“Just be happy Ryan’s not here.”). Yeah, I know, she hates it. She thinks it’s too kinky and won’t let us call her that. Ever. But I’m sure— (“Don’t finish that.”) Right, never mind._

_Prongs sighed and let Snivelly drop. It’s probably for the best; those poor people would be scarred for life if Prongs had pulled his pants down._

_“You can thank me later,” Rye snapped._

_“Why should I?” Snivelly asked coolly._

_“Because I just saved your arse,” she spat._

_He made a big deal about getting his wand and getting up until her wand sparked again. As soon as he left, Wheat turned to everybody watching. “Don’t you all have somewhere else to be?” she snapped._

_Moony was snickering the entire time they were clearing off. You’ve got to hand it to her, though. The only other person I know that can make a crowd clear that fast is Minnie. (“Sirius, it’s Professor McGong— Oh, forget it.”)_

_As soon as everyone else was gone, she turned to me and Prongs. “What_ the hell _did you two think you were doing?!”_

_“Give me a minute to get used to the pissed off Rye,” I said. And you know what, I think she almost cursed me. She gave me the coldest glare I’ve ever seen. And that includes all the ones I’ve gotten from Evans. Man, when she has mood swings, she really has mood swings._

_“There is a big difference between defending yourself and being a bully,” she hissed, shoving her wand in her pocket. I nearly thanked her for it too, those sparks weren’t pretty. I think her hand was still sparking a little bit, but her hands aren’t as scary as her wand. “And James, you complete and total idiot! We had_ just _convinced Lily to give you a chance and then you went and you BLEW it! And you know something? I can’t say that I blame her for turning you down this WHOLE, ENTIRE YEAR!!!” Ouch, harsh. Not that I said that, I enjoy having a head, thankyouverymuch. “Urg!” She turned and stormed into school._

_Prongsie was looking kind of sick. “She was going to give me a chance?”_

_“I think we need to get Rye away from Evans,” I said. “I think she’s rubbing off on her.” I wasn’t trying to be insensitive or anything, I was just trying to get his mind off it. I was trying to help. I guess he didn’t want my help then._

_What was the point to that story? Oh, yeah, so Evans started to trust Wheat. Or something like that. Amazing that Prongs doesn’t hate her. Rye, I mean. No, well, both of them really. Hey, Wormtail, are you hungry? (“Kind of.”) Let’s go get something from the kitchens, I’m starved…_

_-Padfoot_

&-&-&-&-&

“I hate this,” James said, throwing a rock as hard as he could towards the center of the lake.

“You should be happy,” Sirius said, watching him.

“So? I still hate it.” 

“That was a good skipping rock,” Sirius said lightly as James threw another one, vaguely wondering if there was anyway he could convince James to chuck a rock at the annoying second years sitting a few yard away.

“Now I won’t be able to do anything without her thinking I’m showing off,” James continued, ignoring him. “It’ll never get done, and then she’ll go and blame me for it.” He sighed and tried to skip a rock. It only bounced twice before it sunk.

“Bad luck, Prongs,” Sirius said sympathetically. James wasn’t sure if he was talking about the rock or Lily. It was probably the former, but he let himself assume it was the latter. “But couldn’t you use this as a chance to show her you aren’t a prick or whatever it is you aren’t trying to be?”

“In theory,” James muttered darkly. “Like I said, everything I do will be showing off. Like she never shows off in Charms. I swear, I said hi to her earlier and she glared at me. _Glared_. I didn’t even do anything, and she glares at me for saying hello.”

“Then why don’t you just give it up?”

There was a long pause while James tossed a rock up in the air a few times, catching it every time. He threw it before turning to Sirius. “You know what, Padfoot? I honestly have no idea.”

There was another pause before Sirius said, “You know what I think your problem is, Prongs?”

“No.”

“Too bad, I’ll tell you anyway.” Sirius grinned. “You listen to Moony and Wheat too much. Think about it, the two of them have fancied each since we were, what, six?”

“Eight,” James corrected, smiling slightly.

“Alright, since we were eight, give or take a year or two. And look at where they are. Nowhere at all. It’d be hard to say which one’s worse off.”

“Who, Rye or Moony?”

“No, you or Moony. You and Evans hate each other, so it’s one of those ‘worship from afar’ things.” James glared at him, but Sirius just grinned. “But with the two of them, they talk to each other, but they can’t do anything. _Won’t_ do anything. Personally, mate, I think you’re in the better position.”

“Yeah, just don’t tell Moony that.” James frowned. “Where are they, anyway? Where’s Wormtail?”

“Wormy’s still in the kitchens, last I heard,” Sirius said easily. “Moony and Rye are meeting in the library. To work on their _project_.”

James snorted. “This is Remus and Ryan we’re talking about. They probably are working on their project. Really working on their project. Their _Transfiguration_ project, you git.” James looked at his watch. “Hey, I’ll see you later, Padfoot. I’ve got a meeting.”

“With the lovely Miss Evans, I presume,” Sirius said, raising an eyebrow. 

James smacked the back of Sirius’ head as he walked by. “And Minnie too, I do believe. See you.”

“Say hello to Evans for me!”

&-&-&-&-&

“She’ll crack first.”

Remus looked up, confused but not really surprised. She had a bad habit of suddenly changing the subject to something that would seem random to anyone but her. She was usually completely willing to explain, though. “Pardon?”

Ryan looked up too, grinning. She knew he was confused, but she simply repeated, “She’ll crack first. 

“Who?” he asked, still trying to understand what she was talking about.

“Lily. She’ll crack first. Before James. He won’t argue, but she’ll start it.”

_Ah._ “How do you know?”

“A little birdie told me,” she said, grinning. 

Remus chuckled. That was simply her way of saying ‘I just predicted the future.’ “Did the birdie tell you when this would happen?” he teased gently. 

“No. But I could find out if you really wanted to know. I just ran into a bit of a wall and I’m too lazy to push past it.”

“A… wall?” he asked, slightly confused.

“Yup. A wall. Something that wouldn’t let me get more information. Nothing good is on the other side, usually, so I don’t bother. Takes a lot of work to push past them anyway.”

”Er… Right.” Sometimes he really had no idea what she was talking about. But there was one thing he was sure of. Having the powers of the Phoenix was a lot better than being a werewolf. 

“Don’t,” she said absently, looking back down at her homework. “You’re doing it again, and you shouldn’t. There are some disadvantages to mine too, thank you.”

“Not until October, though, right?” he asked, changing the subject slightly.

She nodded. “The middle’s on a Saturday. Probably the Saturday of our first match, just my luck. But, yeah, not until October. The-“

“Twenty-second,” he finished for her. “It starts on the twenty-second. The middle is the twenty-ninth.” 

She nodded. “You’re luckier, in that respect. You only have one day. Three days, if you want to compare it to mine. Mine lasts five times longer than yours.” 

“Yours has good parts, though.” 

It wasn’t a new discussion. Ryan and Remus, whenever they were by themselves, usually ended up getting back around to it. Remus was ‘at his worst’ for only one night a month. Three nights in three months if, as Ryan had said, you wanted to compare it to hers. Having the powers of the Phoenix meant that Ryan was weak for about two weeks every three months ( **AN** \- cookies to anyone who can figure out why!). 

She let out an exaggerated sigh and looked up at him again. “Don’t. I’m not arguing with you about this anymore,” she added, pretending to be stern, but Remus could see the corners of her mouth were turned up. “But,” she grinned, “that’s just counting the extras. You wouldn’t _believe_ the things I go through just for being a girl.”

He laughed slightly. “Alright.” They lapsed back into silence for a few minutes before Ryan heaved another sigh.

“I really don’t like Potions at all,” she said. Remus chuckled. “Although,” she continued thoughtfully, “some good things did come out of Potions. Not the actual class, though, just the seating arrangement.” He smiled and shook his head.

“Don’t you think you should be working then instead of complaining?”

“Yes, _mum_ ,” she teased, sticking her tongue out at him before going back to work. 

 

 


	6. Meetings and Making Plans

**Chapter 6- Meetings and Making Plans**

_ I want it stated that I wanted to have no part in this to begin with. It’s a rather stupid idea, and you’ll be even worse off if she finds this and reads it. –Remus Lupin _

**Stop worrying, Moony. It’s not good for your health. It’s just a short list to help out our good buddy Prongs. What’s so wrong with that? –Sirius Black**

_ Nothing… until he somehow loses it and she finds it. –RL  _

_Remus, if you help me write that list, you won’t just be helping James. You’ll be helping me too. –Ryan Miller_

_ How will I be helping you? –RL _

_You’ll be shutting him up for one thing. We’ll all thank you for that. -RM_

**_Hey! Is it so bad to want just a little advice from two of my best friends? –James Potter_ **

**It is when you reject another best friend’s advice. Siriusly, I must know more than the two of them combined. -SB**

_WARNING! Over-used pun alert. (Don’t make me hurt you, Si.) –RM_

I think it’s because it’s Lily Evans we’re talking about. –Peter Pettigrew

Exactly! That changes it. This isn’t just another girl. This it the girl. I have to do exactly everything right or she’ll never even look at me. –JP

**Oh, Merlin, he’s getting emotional. Help him before he starts groveling. (Fireball, as much as I would like to see you try, I must state that I was being completely Sirius.) –SB**

_(How many times do I have to tell you to not call me that?) Anyway, James, she already looks at you. Not in approval, granted, but she still looks at you. Don’t be such a Drama Queen. You sound like Sirius. -RM_

**Hey!! -SB**

_(:-P I win.)_

**_Be serious, you two (not Sirius). This is Lily Evans we’re talking about. She’s not affected at all, and unless she’s an ice cube or the Potter Charm is failing me, there must be some way to get her to like me. –JP_ **

_(AHH, they’re ALL doing it!!) You use anything too much and it won’t work anymore, Jimmy. –RM_

**_What’s that supposed to mean? –JP_ **

_What does it sound like it means? See, Remus? He doesn’t get it. He won’t get it until we explain it to him. And he doesn’t get it, he’ll never give it up. I need your help because… well, you’d understand his point of view better. –RM_

_ I understand his point of view better? –RL _

_Yeah. The male perspective. –RM_

The male perspective? –PP

**She means she’s never been a guy but Moony has. –SB**

Oh. –PP

Please, Remus? For me? I’m giving you a poor, pitiful, I-desperately-need-your-help look right now. –JP

_Come on, Remus. Just to shut him up. –RM_

_ Alright, fine. I’ll do it. I’ll help you. –RL _

**_Yes! Thank you, Moony!!! -JP_ **

_Okay, I’ll start. Just to, you know, get us started. –RM_

**Well, that made sense. -SB**

_Hey, no yanking the parchment away when I’m working. And you need to shut up anyway. Alright, here we go:_

TOP FIVE WAYS TO WOO LILY EVANS:

5\. 

**_Can you use a word besides woo? It makes it sound so stupid. -JP_ **

**That’s because it is, mate. -SB**

_Do you want me to write the list or not? If either one of you take this away again, I’m not doing it. –RM_

**_Liar. -JP_ **

_Yeah, you’re probably right. Now stop it. -RM_

TOP FIVE WAYS TO ATTRACT (POSITIVE) ATTENTION FROM LILY EVANS: 

_There, is that better? -RM_

**_Yeah, thanks. -JP_ **

_I get to start. -RM_

5\. Don’t antagonize/pick on/p.iss off Lily. 

_Your turn, Remus. -RM_

__

_ Do I have to? Oh, alright. (There’s no reason to look at me like that.) -RL _

__

4\. Don’t attack/curse/pick on Snape in front of her. 

__

**_Moony, my friend, you’re asking for the impossible. I hate Snivellus and not cursing is merely a possibility I will not consider. –JP_ **

_Then you better be enjoying the single life. It’s just when she’s around, not all the time. You’re fine as long as she doesn’t find out. And didn’t I already tell you not to yank the parchment away? Sheesh. Men. You never listen. –RM_

3\. Learn to listen. 

**_I do listen! –JP_ **

****

_Yeah, when it suits you. Which means, uh, NEVER. –RM_

2\. Try to be more mature around her. 

**Ouch, Moony. I felt that all the way over here. –SB**

_ He wanted my advice, I’m giving him my advice. –RL _

_Mind if I add to that? –RM_

_ Go ahead. –RL _

2\. Try to be more mature (and nicer) around her at least once a day. 

_There, that’ll make it easier on you. –RM_

**_Nice to know you have such faith in me. NOT. What is this, pick on Prongs day? –JP_ **

_ Yes. You asked for it, Prongs. Your turn, Rye. -RL _

1\. Stop being such a prick. 

You’re sure being nice today. -PP

_Yes, well. I try. –RM_

-Marauders, sixth year, History of Magic Class, April 13, 1977

&-&-&-&-&

Lily and James reached McGongall’s office at the same time. James nodded for Lily to go in first, trying to be nice. She looked at him for a few seconds before opening the door and walking in. James sighed and followed her in. _It’s going to be a_ long _year._   

McGongall looked up as they walked in. “Evans, Potter. Take a seat.” The two of them sat in the chairs in front of her desk. She looked between them sternly. “I first want to congratulate both of you on being chosen as Head Boy and Girl. We haven’t had a Head Girl and Boy from Gryffindor in quite some time.” James smiled slightly. McGongall claimed that she was completely unbiased, but James knew better. The way she cheered at Quidditch matches and always made sure he was holding practice three times a week proved it. He also knew for a fact that McGongall covered for them (the Marauders) all the time in front of other professors. 

“I must stress how important it is that you are good role models,” McGongall continued, looking directly at James. “You are supposed to set a good example, and I expect you to do so. This means not merely taking points or giving detention to someone you do not get along with. I expect you to not abuse your privileges. Is that understood, Potter?” 

He considered asking her why she was so worried about him abusing his privileges, but decided against it. “Yes, professor,” he said, looking innocent. Well, if that didn’t earn him some evil looks… 

Sheesh. No one had any faith in him at all. (He could just hear Ryan saying _“Hm, I wonder why that is…”)_ Well, apparently Dumbledore did, or he wouldn’t be Head Boy, but Dumbledore was half off his rocker anyway.

Oh, well. 

McGongall went on to explain their duties, responsibilities, and… other things that James was starting to not catch. At least until she said something that got James’ attention.

“The Headmaster has decided, with recent events, that the students could use some distractions,” McGongall said. “You are in charge of arranging these events. One of the best suggestions, I believe, is a ball. I do not care when you have it as long as you ask Professor Dumbledore or myself before you make anything official. Do either of you have any questions?” 

James looked at Lily, who was pointedly ignoring him (for _odd_ some reason). “I don’t think so, Professor,” Lily said. James turned back to McGongall and nodded.

“One final thing before you two leave,” McGongall said. She gave each of them another stern look. “I realize you two do not see eye to eye on many things, but the Headmaster believes that you two would make a good pair if you managed to get past your differences. I must stress how important it is that both of you try to get along. If not for my sake, then at least for the sake and sanity of this school. You are dismissed.”

The two of them got up and left the room in silence. After walking about halfway to the common room, James finally decided to speak up. “Any ideas about the big events we have to take care of?”

“I kind of like the ball idea,” Lily said. And she left it at that. James could already tell he was going to have to practically drag any kind of information out of her. Well, it would make life more interesting, at least. Not.

“Yeah, it sounds alright,” James said. “I was thinking we should plan something a little more original though. I mean we can do the ball too,” he quickly added when Lily threw him a dirty look, “but shouldn’t we plan more than one thing? Something that would be more… oriented for the whole school instead of just the older students?”

Lily just looked at him for a second, almost like she was considering how she should answer and trying to decide how genuine he was being. Finally, she nodded. “Well, yes, I suppose that would probably be a good idea. The first years need a distraction just as much if not more than sixth and seventh years.”

“Right,” James said, happy to be getting somewhere. “Exactly.”

“Perhaps we should think about it and discuss our ideas at our next meeting,” she said.

“Yeah, sure.” He paused and frowned. “Meeting?”

She didn’t even try to pretend she wasn’t rolling her eyes. “Yes, Potter, our meeting. The one we have to have at least once a week and then report to McGongall about?”

“Oh, yeah, that meeting.” He tried to think of a quick cover so that she wouldn’t think he wasn’t paying any attention during the meeting they had just had (even though he really hadn’t, but she didn’t need to know that). “Well, I wasn’t sure if you were talking about that meeting or the one we have to have with the prefects every week and also report to McGongall about.” 

She looked a little surprised (which made James slightly congratulate himself on resourcefulness). “Oh. Well, we should decide what we’re going to be planning before we discuss it with the prefects, don’t you think?”

“Yes, definitely.” She gave him a suspicious look, like she thought he was making fun of her. “Augurey,” James said to the portrait of the Fat Lady. The portrait hole swung open and Lily climbed through first. James followed her, thinking hard. There was something he was forgetting, something he had been meaning to mention to Lily. What was it?

He frowned and watched her walk up the stairs to her dorm. _Oh, well,_ he thought easily. _I’ll remember it eventually._

“Oy, Prongs!” James looked over by the fire to find Sirius and Peter (with Remus rolling his eyes from his seat next to them) waving him over. “Get your arse over here!”

James chuckled and shook his head as he made his way over to his friends. “You’re still alive,” Peter said, pretending to look shocked.

“’Course he’s still alive,” Sirius said. “It’s going to take more than Lily Evans to kill our buddy Prongs.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that,” James said a little darkly. 

“Sounds like it’s time to pull out that list again,” Remus said lightly.

“I thought you were against the list,” Sirius said, smirking.

“I am,” Remus said. “But as long as he made me write it out, he might as well use it. It doesn’t sound like he’s been using it.”

“Oh, shove it, Moony,” James grumbled, throwing himself down on the rug in front of the fire. “I threw that stupid list away this summer.” In reality, it was Ryan who had thrown it away (something James thought was a bit cheap, considering she helped write it). He still wasn’t exactly sure how she had known where it was, but you never knew with Ryan. It didn’t really matter that she had thrown it away though. He had it memorized.

“Why’d you throw it away?” Peter asked.

Sirius snorted. “He didn’t. Fireball chucked it for him.”

“I thought she burned it,” Remus said lightly.

“Oh, yeah. That’s right. She did, I forgot about that.”

“What is this, pick on Prongs Day?” James asked. “You guys need to mark on my calendar or something so I can be ready for it.”

“But you should always be ready for it.”

“Because _every_ day is pick on Prongs Day, right?”

“Naturally.”

&-&-&-&-&

Two weeks. After two weeks of being totally, completely fed up of being paired with someone she didn’t want to be paired with, she started giving in. No, giving in wasn’t the right word for it. That made it sound like he was trying to convince her of something, and he wasn’t. Not bothering with it anymore was a little better, but that wasn’t quite it either.

Two weeks, three meeting by themselves, two meetings with the prefects, and eight Transfiguration classes. That’s really all it took. 

Not that Lily was willing to _admit_ that she was starting to accept him. Never in a million years would she admit that. But, like it or not, she was starting to accept him. He still had annoying little quirks, but they weren’t as annoying as they had been two weeks ago. They fought, but it over really stupid stuff half the time (not that _all_ their arguments weren’t stupid) and she was only arguing with him because… well, she didn’t know how else to act around him. 

And she had even started thinking of him (but not calling him) as James instead of Potter. Not that she would admit it, of course. It wasn’t that she could really consider him a friend, but he really wasn’t her enemy anymore. They were more like acquaintances. It was just… different.

She almost told Alice about it. Almost, but she decided against it for some reason. Maybe because she was afraid of hearing ‘I told you so.’ But she knew that Alice wouldn’t say that. Morgan might, but Alice wouldn’t. But little did she know that it didn’t matter whether she mentioned it or not, because all three of her roommates already knew.

&-&-&-&-&

“There you are!”

Ryan looked up curiously. “Were you looking for me?”

“Yes, actually,” Alice said, smiling slightly. “Only we never really left the dorm. So I don’t guess we were doing a very good job of looking, were we?”

“We’ve decided,” Morgan announced. “We’ve decided we’re going to help you play matchmaker for Lily and James. But only after they’re friends. So we need your help on how to get them to be friends. That way, all you have to do is convince them to get along, and we’ll take it from there.”

“There’s no way to get people like Lily and James to be friends,” Ryan said. “Well, without them deciding it on their own, that is. If there was, they would already be friends. Thanks to me.”

“Ryan, if you get enough people to work on it, they’ll have to give in sooner or later,” Alice said. “Preferably sooner than later.”

“You sure do switch sides fast,” Ryan teased. 

Alice laughed. “They leave me no choice. Honestly, enough is enough, don’t you agree?”

“Most def.”

“Besides, she’s starting to get along with him,” Morgan said. “If I’ve noticed, then you must’ve noticed.”

“Yup. So what’s the plan? Are the guys going to be included? Because Remus would be helpful, I think. And Sirius can drive her insane enough to talk to James about it. Or do you want to go a different route?”

“We thought we’d let you figure out the details,” Morgan said. “You’re probably getting the most out of this, besides the two of them.”

Ryan grinned, a mischievous look in her eye. The well-known Marauder grin. Most people had enough sense to know, when they saw that grin, that it would be best to just stay out of all five Marauders’ way, just in case. Nine times out of ten, that look ended in a prank. “They’ll never know what hit them.”

“Now, that’s what we wanted to hear.”

&-&-&-&-&

“I need your help,” Ryan announced five minutes later in the common room. Three of the four male Marauders looked up at her.

“Wheat? Needs help?” Sirius asked. “Oh, no, the world’s going to end! We’re all going to-“

“Ah, shut up,” she said, smiling slightly as she shoved his shoulder. “I need to help with Operation LJ.” One look of confusion, one look of comprehension, and one smirk. “Operation Lily and James?” Two looks of comprehension and a widened smirk. “Okay. Alice and Morgan said they’d help with the matchmaking.” 

“But they’re Evans friends,” Peter said slowly.

“They also happen to be fed up,” Ryan said. “They realize Lily and James aren’t as different as they seem. But they’ll only help if we can get the two of them to be friends first,” Sirius opened his mouth, “ _because_ they might not really be as great for each other as James thinks they are. If they can’t be friends… well, you get the idea. Don’t even _think_ about saying it,” she added threateningly to Sirius.

“I wasn’t going to,” Sirius said innocently. “I was just going to say it could be very _beneficial_ for both of them if they’re friends first.”

“I knew it. I knew that’s what you were going to say. No, Sirius, not ‘beneficial’ friends. Real friends. Think you and me. _That_ kind of friendship.”

“Oh. Does that mean he gets to try out new techniques— OWW!! What the hell?!?! _Ryan!_ ”

“Prick.” Ryan smirked. “You deserved it. It’s your own fault, any way you look at it. No, not like that. Like how we are now, stupid.”

“Remus, she hit me,” Sirius whined. He stopped and rubbed the back of his head. “Hard too. I think I’m going to have a bump. Bloody hell, Wheat, you should’ve been a Beater.”

“Oh, I didn’t hit you that hard, you big baby. I might have burned some of your hair, but I didn’t hit you that hard.”

“ _Moony_.”

“Don’t come whining to me,” Remus said, holding up his hands. “I’m staying out of it.”

“But I was just asking a question, and she—“

“Like you and Remus¹!” Ryan exclaimed, exasperated. “That kind of friendship.”

“Oh. Sheesh, why didn’t you say that in the first place?” Ryan made a noise of frustration, clearly wanting to say ‘I _did_ say that in the first place!’ but she kept her mouth shut. “Prongs won’t like that. Prongs won’t agree to that. You realize that, don’t you?”

“Have you been listening to me at all?” she asked. “Alice and Morgan have agreed to help us get Lily and James together,” she said slowly like she was talking to a two-year-old (actually, Sirius probably had the attention span of a two-year-old, she couldn’t help thinking). “But Lily and James have to be friends first so that we know that we aren’t all crazy for ever thinking that they could get together. Only after their friends will we even have a chance of even _attempting_ to get Lily to go on a date with him. Understand now?”

“No,” Peter said.

“It really doesn’t matter anyway, Peter,” Remus said. “All we have to do is follow whatever instructions Rye gives us.” He looked to Ryan. “You have a plan?”

“But of course,” Ryan said, trying to sound offended. “I _always_ have a plan.”

$$$$

¹- Okay, I just had to say something about that. I _know_ there are R/S shippers out there, but I ain’t one of them. Well, okay, I’m a little bit of one, but not enough of one to actually write a fanfic about it. I just wanted to point out this is _not_ , whatever you want to believe, a bit of foreshadowing. This is not a R/S fic. This is a L/J with a little R/OC thrown in on the side. I do not write slash, I rarely read slash. _This fic will not have any slash._ Thank you. 


	7. Dates and Making Plans

**Chapter 7- Dates and Making Plans**

_(“And may I present to you the one, the only-“ “Sirius, shut up. Let him tell the_ dannato _story.”)_

_Do I really have to tell it? (“It’s your turn, Wormy. Everyone has to take their turn.”) Oh, alright. The first time Prongs asked her out? (“Sure. Go for it, mate.”) Uh… Oh, yeah, I remember now. Yeah, Padfoot and I still laugh about it sometimes. Mostly Padfoot though. (“Padfoot laughs at anything and everything.”) Shut up, Ryan._

_We were just walking down the corridors one day in fifth year, I think. Because Ryan was there and Evans looked—(“Don’t you finish that.”)—different. She looked different. That’s all I was going to say, swear! Honest! (“You tell her, Wormtail!” “_ You _need to shut up,_ Snuffles _.” “Snuffles? Where the hell—“ “Oh, never mind. Just shut up.”)_

_Anyway, Evans looked_ different _. So it was fifth year. I think. Anyways, we were just walking down the corridor and Prongs saw Evans up ahead of us. Well, Evans and Watson and Carter. (“They_ have _first names, you know.”) Sod off._

_Prongs’d_ _been mooning over Evans since the beginning of the year, even if he wouldn’t admit it. He was always talking about her. Still is. One minute he’s making fun of her or complaining about her, the next minute he sounds like he fancies her._

_For some reason, he decided to yell her name down the corridor. “Hey, Evans!”_

_She turned around, and she already looked annoyed. Just from him yelling her name. Not a very good way to start a conversation, but he kept going anyway. “What do you want, Potter?” she asked coldly._

_“What makes you think I want anything?” Prongs asked, using the famous Marauder look of innocence. He and Sirius pull it off the best, but it never works on McGonagall. Or Evans, now that I think of it._

_“You’re talking to me, aren’t you?” Evans asked._

_Prongs winced. “Ouch, Evans. That hurts. Actually—“ I could tell he wasn’t as confident, and Padfoot and Moony and Rye could tell, but Evans and Carter and Watson couldn’t. “—I was wondering if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend.”_

_And then the entire corridor went silent. You could’ve heard a quill drop. Watson gasped in shock, and Carter’s eye widened. Even the four of us were too shocked to say anything. We knew he fancied her, but we didn’t think he’d actually_ do _anything about it. We thought he’d get over it before he did anything stupid. We were wrong._

_Evans took two steps forward and slapped Prongs as hard as she could across the face. It kind of echoed in the empty corridor._

_“I think that’s a no,” Padfoot said, smirking slightly as Prongs rubbed the side of his face._

_“James Potter, that is the most immature and cruel prank I’ve ever heard,” Evans spat. “I thought even_ you _were above asking out girls as a_ prank _.” She turned and stormed down the hall. Carter and Watson exchanged a look, glanced at Prongs, and ran after Evans._

_“It wasn’t a prank!” Padfoot tried calling after her._

_“She either didn’t hear you,” Moony said._

_“Or she doesn’t care,” Padfoot finished._

_“Me thinks that was just a_ tiny _bit pricky,” Ryan said, calmly leaning against the wall and trying not to grin._

_“Uh… better luck next time?”_ _I tried._

_And there were plenty of next times. But every ‘next time’ was just as bad as the first one. A lot of them were worse. She obviously doesn’t like him, so why doesn’t he just give up on her all together?_

_-Peter_

&-&-&-&-&

“Ryan!!” Lily exclaimed, exasperated. 

“Yes?” Ryan responded innocently.

“Can’t you sit still for a _minute_?” Lily asked. “You’ve been practically bouncing off the walls all morning. Just _what_ are you so excited about?” It was during breakfast. Ryan had come in late, as usual. Morgan and Alice had gone on ahead to class, and Lily was waiting for Ryan while she finished up some Head stuff that she needed to get done.

“A lot of things,” Ryan said cheerfully, grinning at her frustrated friend. “The main one being that Quidditch starts today. Did I mention that? Our first practice is this afternoon.” She stopped and frowned slightly. “No, wait. This’ll be _my_ first practice. The rest of the team had two last week when I had detention.” She grinned again. “But I’m still looking forward to it. Have I ever told you how much I like Quidditch? I mean, it’s just the whole excitement—“

“I thought you were never in a good mood in the morning,” Lily cut it darkly.

“Oh, I’m only in a bad mood until I get a shower. Then I’m much happier. I like to be clean. Besides, I had a really good idea this morning.” 

“Oh?” Lily asked. “About what?”

Ryan grinned. “Secret Marauder business. I’d tell ya, but then I’d have to kill you. And that wouldn’t be good for anyone.”

“For… _anyone_?” Lily asked suspiciously.

Ryan rolled her eyes. “Yes, _anyone_. Don’t be so paranoid,” she added, grinning. “If I killed you, it wouldn’t be good for you. For obvious reasons, of course. 

“Of course,” Lily said, looking slightly amused.

“Morgan and Alice would be _tres_ sad. I would probably get sent to Azkaban. If, that is, the Ministry could find me before Sirius, and that’s only if Sirius could find me before James. Because James would be depressed because you were dead—“ Lily opened her mouth, but Ryan cut her off. “Not because he _fancies_ you, just because he would have to do the Head stuff by himself.”

“You had better not kill me then. The whole school would fall apart.”

“I was getting to that. So, Sirius would be mad because James would be busy running the school. And then, if Morgan and Alice or James or Sirius killed me in an act of desperation, then Remus would be extremely sad and Peter… Anyway, it just wouldn’t be good for anyone.” She waved her hands in a circle. “Set off a whole cycle of events. That would probably end up with the entire school collapsing. See?”

“Maybe.” Lily gave her another suspicious look as the bell rang and they headed to class. “Are you sure there’s not another reason?”

“You mean the collapse of Hogwarts isn’t a good enough reason for me to not kill you?” Lily shot her a look, and Ryan shot her another innocent smile in return. “I wouldn’t ever plan anything that would involve you without your consent.”

“Of course you wouldn’t. And I’m the queen, is that it?”

Ryan laughed and nodded. “Exactly it. Your _Majesty_.”

&-&-&-&-&

“Hey, Rye!” Keeper Stephanie Letmen called, running to catch up.

Ryan grinned as she hung back to let the fourth year draw level with her. “Hey, Steph. How’s it been?”

Stephanie shrugged. “Pretty good, I s’pose. You?”

“Same old stuff,” Ryan replied. She looked up as they entered the Quidditch Pitch, shielding her eyes. “Trey, you haven’t been practicing!”

“Oh, shove it, Ryan!” a brown haired boy yelled back. Trey Recher, a fifth year Chaser, threw the Quaffle at her. Ryan dodged it as if it was a Bludger. “You’re supposed to catch that, you know.”

“Hey, you stick to catching your balls, I’ll stick to catching mine,” she yelled back. She paused, thinking. “No, let me rephrase that. You stick to catching Quaffles, I’ll stick to catching Snitches.” Trey snickered before turning to talk to sixth year Beater Mark Barden. 

“I’ll stick to hitting balls then, how’s that?” Aubrey Bradley landed next to Ryan and Stephanie. Aubrey was a sixth year Beater. She and Mark didn’t always get along, but it was amazing how well they could work together when they wanted to (namely when James threatened them or during the actual matches).

Ryan laughed. “Well, if that’s what you want to do.” She smirked slightly. “I think kicking ‘em’s more fun, personally.” 

“Oh, gross,” Stephanie said, scrunching her nose. Ryan and Aubrey laughed.

“Watch out!” The three girls ducked without needing to look up. Cameron York (a fourth year chaser) stopped in front of them, smiling sheepishly. “Uh, sorry. Can you—“ Ryan picked up the Quaffle and threw it to him. “Thanks.” He flew off, throwing it to Trey in the process.

“Cute kid,” Aubrey said, shaking her head. “For how stupid he is.”

“He’s a guy,” Ryan said, shrugging easily. “Of course he’s stupid.”

“His aim’s awful,” James commented lightly, coming up behind them. “We’re working on that though.”

“Shouldn’t there be more than this?” Ryan asked him.

He shook his head. “This is all of us. I’m still looking for a reserve Chaser, unofficially. But I didn’t want to hold try-outs just to get a reserve. That’s stupid.”

“And a lot more pain than it’s worth,” Aubrey added. 

“I’m thinking about Anthony Underwood,” James said. ”What do you guys think?” 

“I think he’s a pain in the arse,” Mark said easily, landing next to the others with Trey and Cameron right behind him, “but he’s got a hell of an arm.”

“Well, you’re a pain in the arse and you’re still on the team,” Aubrey said. “So you two should get along fine.” Mark scowled. 

“His aim’s worse than Cameron’s,” Trey said. “He’s probably the best we’ve got, though. Unless you want to try Cassie-”

“You just want her on the team because you _fancy_ her,” Cameron said, smirking. Trey reached to hit the back of his head, and Cameron ducked, grinning. “It’s true though. She’s not that great. She just happens to have-“

“York,” Mark said, slapping his hand over Cameron’s mouth, “one of these days, your hormones will kick in. And then, if you can see at all, you will want another girl on our team. No offense, ladies. But you’re all hands off.”

“Thankfully,” all three girls muttered in unison.

“I agree,” James said. “Anthony it is then. I don’t want to deal with any more… relationship issues than I already have to.” The team exchanged smirks, making James roll his eyes. “All of you keep your traps shut. Besides, I have to train Cameron to aim anyway.” Cameron blushed slightly. “Mark, let out the Bludgers. Do NOT let out the Snitch. I just want to pass around for a while. Everyone else, get your arses in the air. Our first match is on the 29th. And it’s against Slytherin. You all know what that means—“ 

Ryan nearly fell off her broom in mid-kickoff as she spun around to face him. “The 29th? As in _October_ 29th?” James nodded. “ _Maledizion._ ”

“What language was that in?” Cameron asked, interested. It was pretty much a known fact that, if Ryan swore, it was almost always in another language. It was also a known fact that about 75% of the time, if Ryan spoke in a different language, it was a swear word.

“Italian. It means damn it. As in dammit, James, that’s a _really_ bad day for our match against Slytherin, especially since that happens to be the _exact middle_.”

“The exact middle of what?” Trey asked teasingly. “Your time of the month?”

“Recher, if you like having a head, shut the hell up,” Aubrey snapped. “And don’t joke about that. It’s hard to play a Quidditch match then, thank you.”

Trey snickered as Stephanie rolled her eyes. “ _Please_ tell me you’re getting all the perverted jokes out now.” 

“Are we being perverted?” Trey asked innocently.

“Let me think about that. Hm… _Yes_.” Trey snickered again.

“You mean the _exact_ middle?” James demanded. “As in not the day before, not the day after? The worst possible—“

“Would I _joke_ about that?” Ryan snapped. The rest of the team all blinked at once. None of them (except for Aubrey, who just happened to be in the right place at the right time during her fourth year) had ever heard Ryan snap at anyone. 

James took a deep breath and let it out. “I never said you were,” he said as calmly as he could, “but what I meant was is it right in the middle? On the exact middle day?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. I’ll work on it, alright?” She nodded. “Okay. Everyone, get passing. You know the drill! Get in a circle, start moving it around. Cameron, always pass it to Trey. Always, unless I tell you otherwise. Got that?” Cameron nodded. “Watch out for those Bludgers, we don’t have Mark and Aubrey to watch your arses this time. You’ve got to do it yourself.”

The team started passing dutifully, but none of them were really concentrating on what they were doing. Stephanie and Aubrey were wondering what Ryan and James had been talking about. Mark was halfway wondering about Ryan, halfway wondering about another female on the team (and she wasn’t a fourth year). 

James was wondering how he was going to convince someone to change the date of the match. Ryan wondered is there was a way for James to change the date of the match. 

Trey was having purely teenage boy thoughts. Cameron wondered which one of the other males on the team he would be most like if and when his hormones finally did kick in. He hoped it would be James, even though he wasn’t having much luck in the female department. At least he knew how to handle a very pissed off Ryan Miller. And that, in Cameron’s unbiased and uneducated opinion, was a definite bonus.

&-&-&-&-&

“I’ve got it.” Lily looked up from the stack of papers in front of her to see James standing in front of her, looking triumphant. 

“What are you talking about?” she asked. 

“This big event thing,” James said, waving his hands. Lily had noticed he tended to do that when he was excited. It was almost like he thought that would help him get the words out faster. “The one besides the ball. We should do a Muggle carnival. You know, with that big far-ness wheel—“

“Ferris wheel?” Lily offered, trying hard not to smile.

“Yeah, that. One of those. And the games and the prizes and everything. What do you think?”

Lily frowned thoughtfully for a minute before nodding. “I think that could work. We could hold it in the spring, possibly.” She nodded again. “Good idea, Potter.”

James wanted to say _”_ _Don’t look so surprised, I’m not a_ complete _idiot.”_ But he somehow thought that that would be considered rather pricky, and even though he wasn’t positive on that, he wasn’t about to take his chances. He smiled slightly. “Thank you.” He _did_ add, though, “I came up with it all by myself.”

He was rewarded with a slight smile. “Wow, Potter, finally learning how to use that head of yours?”

He decided to take it in stride. “Sure. I use it all the time. How else would great minds such as Ryan and Remus—and yourself, of course—be able to spend any time with me at all?”

“They manage with Black, don’t they?” Lily asked dryly. 

“They can only have so many pity cases, Lily,” he responded seriously. 

She looked for a second like she was going to laugh, but she just shook her head. “Although your great wit never ceases to amaze me, Potter, we need to get to work. I-“

“It’s James.”

She looked at him oddly. “Excuse me?”

“My name,” he said slowly, “is James. Not Potter. At least… all of the people I get along with call me James.” _Bad move, James,_ he thought, wincing inwardly. They hadn’t officially declared a truce yet. Who was to say that she didn’t still consider him an enemy? 

“Doesn’t mean we’re friends,” he said calmly when she opened her mouth. “Just means we can have a conversation without snapping at each other. Which is something we’ve been doing for the past ten minutes or so.”

She paused, looking like she was considering it. “You’re right,” she said thoughtfully. He started to break into a smile and had to look down so that she wouldn’t see. “But don’t think I can just start calling you by your first name all of the sudden,” she added quickly. “It- it takes getting used to, you know.”

“Of course,” he said. She sounded a little flustered, but he wasn’t sure why. At least it was a start. And he had to start somewhere.

&-&-&-&-&

“She hasn’t done anything,” Sirius complained from the floor in the common room. “Ryan’s had two weeks to come up with a matchmaking plan, and she hasn’t come up with anything.”

“First off, they’re not matchmaking plans,” Remus said, not looking up from the book he was reading. “She’s just trying to get them to settle their differences enough so that they can spend time in the same room. Secondly, maybe she does have a plan. She just hasn’t told you what it is yet.”

“You know what she has planned,” Sirius said accusingly.

“I just know Ryan Miller. If she doesn’t want to tell you something, she won’t. It’s that simple.”

“She asked for our help, though,” Peter said, frowning.

Sirius nodded. “Exactly. Thank you, Wormy. She asked for our help. If she didn’t need our help, she wouldn’t have told us. If she needs our help, she should tell us she needs our help. Besides, I know she doesn’t have a plan.”

“Oh, really?” Remus asked dryly, finally looking up. “And just how do you know?”

Sirius grinned. “I am the all powerful Sirius Black, Moony. I hear all, I see all, I know all. If I haven’t heard about, it doesn’t exist. That simple.”

“Well if you are the all powerful Sirius Black and you are, as you say, all powerful, why don’t you just do something about it?”

Sirius frowned thoughtfully for a second. “You know what, Moony? That’s a good idea. Why shouldn’t I do something about it? I have to listen to him complaining too. Screw Ryan’s plan. I’ll just use my own.”

Remus had the feeling he shouldn’t have said anything. “I was joking.”

“I’m not.”

“Locking them together in a broom closet isn’t going to work.”

“Who said anything about broom closets?”

“She’ll kill you when she finds out,” Peter put in. “She told you she’d handle it.”

“Nah, the only person she ever considers actually murdering is James,” Sirius said easily. “Well, and her dad. That doesn’t count though. Besides, she’s not exactly handling it if she’s not doing anything, is she?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Didn’t think so. So, if she’s not going to take care of it, I will.”

Remus shook his head and went back to his book. “You’re going to ruin everything, Padfoot.”

“Aw, be a little more optimistic, Moony. Just because your case is hopeless doesn’t mean Prongsy’s is too.” He was rewarded with a book to the head. “Ow! You violent prat!”

“Just warning you what James’ll do if you screw this up.”

&&&&&&&&

**Author’s Note** \- Ug. I hate to do this. But I really need to say this to keep my sanity. I’ve had over 1200 views on 6 chapters of this story and only eight reviews. I mean, seriously, it’s NOT that difficult to just type up a review. Well, maybe a little, since I don’t do it that often, but I don’t read other fanfics that often either. I guess what I’m trying to say without sounding horribly, pathetically whiney is… could you guys review? Please? If you don’t like it, it won’t get any better unless you tell me what I did wrong. I can’t know what you guys want if you don’t tell me. Writing’s mostly a personal experience, but not completely. It needs some feedback to continue to grow and change. So… review. Please. Thank you. 


	8. Guilt and Confessions

**Chapter 8- Guilt and Confessions**

“Someone looks guilty this morning,” Ryan said cheerfully, plopping into the seat next to Remus. “What did you do this time?”

Sirius smiled innocently. “Do? _Me_? I haven’t done anything. Really, Wheat, you should have more faith in me and—“

“Oh, stuff it,” she said, laughing. “I don’t want to hear it. It’s too early in the morning for your B.S. And, no, that wasn’t me accidentally getting your initials backwards.”

Sirius just shook his head sadly. “Between you and Evans, Wheat, the world would be full of… cynics.” Remus snorted, and Sirius ignored him. “I’m not doing anything wrong. What makes you think that?”

“Because I’ve known you for the past eleven bleeding years. I think I know you well enough by now to know when you’re up to something.”

“But you didn’t see me for seven of those years. How do you know I haven’t changed?”

“Your name’s still Sirius Orion Black, isn’t it?”

“See, there you go! Cynical. I could have changed for all you know. But you’d never believe it.” He shook his head. “You and Evans should really start a club—“

“Double stuff it, Sirius,” Ryan said as she grinned. “And no, I’m not talking about Oreos.” (AN- Were Oreos around in the ‘70s? Me thinks they were.)

“What the hell’s an Oreo?”

“If it makes you feel any better, I dunno what he’s up to either,” James said, looking like he still couldn’t believe his best friend wouldn’t tell him what he was up to.

“Oh.” Ryan shot Sirius a mock glare before grinning. “In that case, where’d you get the chocolate and how can I get some too?”

Sirius grinned and popped a Bertie Bott’s bean into his mouth. “No chocolate. I’ve got some ear wax I’ll be willing to share, though.”

“Ew, no thanks. I’ll pass.”

Sirius winked at her. “Thought so.”

&-&-&-&-&

_Okay, I_ know _that’s it’s technically Morgan or Alice’s turn, but I had to make a confession. I lied. Not about anything earth shattering, not about anything drastic, not about anything that would really piss anyone off. I just… lied. Pure and simple. Wow, that felt good to get off my chest._

_Now, you’re probably wondering what I lied about. Because you really can’t just walk up to someone, informed them that you lied, and then walk away, can you? Well… there’s a couple of things, actually…_

_The first thing I lied about was being an Animagus. I’m not really. I can turn into a Phoenix naturally with my powers. I was just born that way. Remus knows that, and James might, but the others don’t. That’s not really a big deal, though. Just something I like to keep to myself._

_The next thing I lied about was Lily and James’ relationship. Or future relationship, really. But what was I supposed to say? “Oh, yeah, by the way, Lily, you’ll fall for James in seventh year. Try not to fight it, alright?” Yeah, that would’ve gone over well._

Not bleeding likely.

_And it wasn’t like I ever tried to find out on purpose or anything. It just… happened. It does that sometimes. When I meet a new person, I suddenly have a flash of their future (that’s why Fawkes tends to burst into flames if it’s near that time when a new student comes to visit Dumbledore — he’s weak and he just can’t handle a vision right then)._

_The first time I met Lily, I just had this sudden flash of her future. And the image I got just happened to be of her and James- an older Lily and James, to be specific- kissing. Odd and disturbing, right? I had just met the girl, and suddenly I’m picturing her snogging one of my best mates? Great mental image._ Not.

_But, then again, if she_ knew _that it was going to happen, she might not be fighting it as much. Or she might be fighting it even more. You just never know with Lily. So I just kept it to myself. I get to say I told you so later, though._

_The last thing… isn’t really a lie. I just didn’t tell the guys something I probably should have told them a long time ago. Dumbledore knows. He knows that Peter, Sirius, James, and I sneak out on the full moons and go help Remus. He knows that Sirius, James, and Peter are all Animagi. Illegal Animagi._

_But he also knows that we do it to help a friend, and he lets it go. He’s pretty cool about that. He’ll let you get away with things a lot faster if he knows that you’re doing it to help someone else. Someone deserving. Which we are, aren’t we? It’s not as if we became— they became illegal Animagi to help out the Death Eaters or something._

_So, as a review, I’ve lied about Lily and James’ future relationship (knowing about it, I mean), about being an Animagus, and about Dumbledore knowing what we do on the full moon. There. Now you know._

_Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. One more thing. You know that big matchmaking scheme I promised everyone? I’ll let you in on a little secret. My plan is to do abso-bleeding-lutely_ nothing. _You want to know why? Because she’s already falling for him. Why should_ I _do work my arse off if she’s already heading in that direction without my help? Remus, Sirius, and Peter and Morgan and Alice can handle it on their own. Well, Sirius might need to be watched carefully, but the others I trust completely. Or at least most of the others._

_Psh. And they said they needed my help._

_-Rye_

&-&-&-&-&

“But Professor—“

“I said no, Potter.”

“Professor, she can’t help it,” James said almost pleadingly. “She’s the best Seeker in this bloody school—“ McGongall opened her mouth to correct him, but he rushed on. “Sorry, won’t happen again. She’s the best Seeker in this school. And she’s going to be _sick_. I’m just asking for a day or two, at most. All she needs is a couple of days to get over her… ‘sickness,’ and she’ll be fine!”

“Potter,” McGongall said sharply, cutting James off again. “Do you realize that I have had four people within the last three days make the exact same request you are? Four people, Potter, and all of them were on the Quidditch team. They either have no faith in your persuasion abilities, or they were asked to ask me. I shall tell you the exact same thing that I told the four of them. I have no control over the times of the matches.”

“But you have to have _some_ say in it,” James said before she could stop him.

She glared at him. “No, I don’t. Now I will tell you something I did _not_ tell the other four. Madame Hooch agrees with your opinion of Miss Miller’s abilities as a Seeker. I do not believe it would take very much persuasion to have her change the date. You know where her office is.”

“Oh.” James blinked before smiling innocently. “Thank you, Professor. Sorry to have bothered you.” He turned to go, but McGongall called him back.

“Potter, do you have a reserve yet?”

“Yes, Professor. Anthony Underwood agreed yesterday. We’re having practice this afternoon to see how well he fits in with the team.”

McGongall nodded. “Very well. And Potter?” James turned back to her again. “You and Miss Evans are getting along then?”

“Er… Yeah, I guess. I mean… Yes. We are, Professor.” 

“One last thing, Potter.” James turned back again, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “You must not lose to Slytherin. Professor Clearing would be unbearable if you did.”

James grinned. “We aren’t planning on it, Professor.”

&-&-&-&-&

“How are we going to convince her?” Peter asked, frowning. 

“Leave that up to me, Wormtail,” Sirius said confidently. “I’ll handle it. _You_ just need to find her.”

“She’s in the library,” Ryan said, sitting backward in one of the empty chairs at their table in the common room. Peter looked at her, startled and slightly annoyed, but Sirius didn’t even blink. “So what do you have for me?” she asked Sirius. “Tricking her to be in a certain place at a certain time? Showing her all kinds of proof that James is really a good guy? I’m not locking any doors, if that’s part of your plan. Although I _highly_ discourage it. I enjoy having a head, thank you.”

“I don’t think we should include you at all,” Sirius said, tipping his chair back on two legs. “You told us you would come up with a plan, but you never did. Why should we ask for your help now?”

“Oh, but see, that _was_ my plan,” she said, grinning. “I’m too lazy to come up with my own idea, and you seem to be doing well enough. Just don’t tell Remus that. He’s against you planning this, for obvious reasons. Actually, now that I think of it, _I’m_ kind of against you planning this. But for the sake of laziness.”

“We don’t need your help,” Peter informed her coolly.

Sirius waved him aside. “She’s offering, Wormtail. She’d have an easier time of it than we would.” He turned to Ryan. “Can you convince her to come to Quidditch practice?”

Ryan snorted. “Next thing you know, you’ll be asking me to convince her to get on a broomstick.” Sirius smirked and started to open his mouth, but Ryan cut him off. “Alright, I’ll see what I can do. No promises, of course.”

“Of course.”

“She’ll probably say no.” Ryan frowned thoughtfully for a second before smiling to herself and nodding. “If she doesn’t agree to it, I’ve got a back up plan. I’ll need you to keep James in the locker room for a while.”

Sirius frowned. “Why?”

“I’ll explain if we get there. Which we, hopefully, won’t. I’ll see to you at practice, then?”

&-&-&-&-&

“Hi,” Ryan said cheerfully, sitting in the only empty chair at the table where Alice, Morgan, and Lily were working.

“Hi.”

“Hey, Rye.”

“’Lo.”

“Whatcha workin’ on?” Ryan asked in her best American accent. Morgan snorted, Alice looked at Ryan and shook her head, and Lily just rolled her eyes.

“Homework. The thing _most_ people work on in the library.”

“Just wondering,” Ryan said easily. “I’ve worked on things other than homework in the library before. Written letters, read, planned pranks. The options are just _endless_ —“

“What do you want, Rye?” Alice asked not impatiently.

Ryan grinned. “I was wondering… Today’s the first Quidditch practice with the whole team, you see, and since none of you have ever come to a practice when _I’ve_ been on the team, I was wondering if you guys wanted to come.”

Lily’s head snapped up. “Why?”

Ryan shrugged. “I dunno. The guys always come, but you three never come. It won’t be that bad, I promise.”

“But—“ Morgan stopped when Ryan shot her a significant look. “Oh. Okay. I need a break from Potions anyway. What do you think, Alice?”

“I think it could be fun,” Alice said agreeably. 

Lily looked between the three of them in shock. Ryan gave her a pleading look. “Oh, no. I don’t think so. I hate Quidditch. The only reason I put up with the matches is because of you. No. I’m not giving James Potter another chance to show off.”

“He doesn’t show off,” Ryan said. “He plays his position. Besides, he won’t have _chance_ to show off at practice. He’ll be teaching Cam and Anthony how to aim. Or something like that. Come on, Lily. It won’t kill you. It’s not like you still hate him or anything.” 

“I never _hated_ —“

“Greatly disliked, same difference. You like him now.” Lily stared at her, thinking something along the lines of that wasn’t how she would have worded it. Ryan grinned and stood up. “Just think about it. I’ll see you two later,” she added to Morgan and Alice.

Lily looked at the other two, who studiously returned to their homework. “What—“ She noticed a slight smile on Morgan’s face. “She’s scheming against me, isn’t she?” Lily demanded.

“You’re just being paranoid,” Morgan said easily.

“Mm-hm. That’s what she told me when I accused her of planning something behind my back.”

“Lily, I can honestly say I have no idea what is going on in Ryan’s head,” Alice said. “I don’t know _what_ she’s planning. But I do know it won’t kill you to go to one practice. She’s right, we’ve never been.”

Lily sighed. “Alright. One practice for Rye. But only one. After this, I’m never coming to one of her practices again.”

“You might like it and actually want to go again,” Morgan said. Lily snorted disbelievingly. “Well, you never know! Expect the unexpected, you know how it goes.”

“Yeah. You make it sound like you think I’ll enjoy it.” Morgan and Alice traded looks. Lily sighed in frustration. “What is _up_ with all of you lately?!”

&-&-&-&-&

“Oy, Miller, you’re late!” Mark knocked a Bludger in her direction.

Ryan ducked it and hopped on her broom quickly, shooting up into air quickly to avoid the Bludger. Aubrey hit it away. Ryan turned to James immediately. “Well?”

“Well what?” he asked innocently.

“ _Well_ , did you get the match changed?” she demanded.

He smiled slightly. “What would you give me if I did?”

“Relationship help,” she said. 

“I sure as hell hope you got it changed,” Trey said, smirking. “You need all the help you can get.”

“You’re lucky Madame Hooch thinks you’re the most talented Seeker in this school,” James said. “She agreed to switch it to February and let Slytherin play Ravenclaw on the 29th instead. Our first match is the 12th of November against Hufflepuff.”

“Really?” Ryan squealed and did a quick spiral out of happiness. “Thank you!”

“Don’t thank me,” James said, shrugging. “Thank…” He trailed off, his eyes on the stands. “ _Shit_.” He rounded on Ryan angrily. “What the bleeding hell—“

“Watch you language, Jimmy,” she said sweetly. “You’re scaring the children.” James continued to glare at her. “Lily came because I asked her to. She’s not here for you. Act like you normally do, and everything will be fine. You’re just being a paranoid git.”

“A paranoid git my ass,” James snapped. He turned back to the rest of the team. “Alright, guys. Stephanie, Trey, Cameron, and Anthony, get in a circle over there and start passing. Cameron, pass to Stephanie. Anthony, pass to Trey. Always, un—“

“Unless you tell us otherwise, we know,” Cameron finished. 

James nodded. “I’ll be there in a minute. Mark and Aubrey… Hit that bludger back and forth. There’s a reason I only took one out. Don’t let it hit anybody, and try not to knock each other out of the air. I don’t want to have to escort one of you to the hospital wing. Rye, find the Snitch. Go, have fun. Let me know when you have it, I’m timing you. Everybody get to work!”

&-&-&-&-&

“See, Lily?” Morgan said cheerfully. “That wasn’t so bad.” 

“It was better than I thought it would be,” Lily admitted reluctantly. Luckily, she didn’t see the grins Morgan and Alice traded behind her back. “How long do you think it will take her?”

“It usually takes ten minutes or so,” Remus said as the three boys walked over.

Sirius grinned. “And what brings you three lovely ladies—“

“Oh, stuff it, Black,” Morgan said. “You know exactly why we’re here. Don’t play stupid.” 

Sirius shrugged. “It’s the thought that counts. That’s what I get for sitting in on the How to Not Be a Prick lessons.” He punched Remus. “Told you I wouldn’t learn anything.”

Ryan walked out of the locker rooms a few minutes later, wringing out her wet hair. “He’s all yours, guys,” she said cheerfully. (Lily did not, however, miss the smile Ryan sent in Remus’ direction.) Ryan turned to Lily. “So? Was it awful? They didn’t have to give you CPR or anything, did they?”

“No, they didn’t,” Lily said. “I survived. It… wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be.”

“Oh, good.” Ryan pulled her still dripping hair back into a ponytail and wrapped a rubber band around it. She made a face. “Crap, I forgot my ring. I have to go back. Anyone want to come?”

“I’ve seen the inside of the locker rooms,” Morgan said. “Once is enough.”

“When did you see the locker rooms?” Alice asked.

Morgan grinned. “That’s _my_ business. It wasn’t the Gryffindor locker room, but I have a feeling they’re all the same. And I _know_ you’ve seen the inside of the locker room.” Alice blushed slightly. “But Lily hasn’t.”

“Come on, Lily,” Ryan said, tugging on her arm teasingly. “Once in a life time opportunity.”

“Alright,” Lily conceded, smiling slightly at Ryan’s enthusiasm.

“We’ll meet you in the common room,” Alice said, waving to them before she and Morgan started back towards the castle. 

Ryan dragged Lily into the locker rooms. Lily scrunched her nose at the smell. “Hey, they’re locker rooms,” Ryan said, shrugging when she saw Lily’s face. “No amount of cleaning spells are going to make _this_ place smell nice. Or… look nice either.” She motioned to a pile of dirty towels in the corner of the room. “It’s because we have to share it with boys.”

“I thought you were done,” Remus said, looking up from where he was sitting next to Peter on one of the benches along the walls.

Ryan shrugged. “Forgot my ring.” She turned to Lily. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back.” She disappeared through one of the two rooms off of the main section.

“Boys’ showers,” Peter said lazily, motioning to the door on the left. “Girls’ showers.” He motioned to the door on the right.

There was an explosion from the left one, followed by a yell. “PADFOOT!! I—“ The rest was drowned out by the sound of running water and another yell. Lily rolled her eyes. _Boys._

Ryan walked out of the girls’ showers with a frown on her face. “Neither one of you have seen a ring, have you?”

“Who’s looking for a ring?” James asked, walking out of the boys’ section with Sirius behind him. Both boys were soaked, and James still had a towel in his hand.

“My ring that my brother gave me,” Ryan said, holding up her thumb to prove her point. “I usually don’t take it off, but the spell that keeps it from tarnishing was wearing off.”

“The silver one with your initials on it?” Remus asked.

Ryan nodded and walked over to the lockers along the wall, opening one. “The one that I’m always wearing.” She slammed the locker closed and turned back around. “ _Merde_.”

“Do you want us to help you look?” Lily asked as James asked her, “Where do you want us to start?”

Ryan smiled slightly. “I’ll look in the girls’ showers. Remus, could you look in the boys’ showers just in case someone kicked it in there or something? The rest of you… Just look.”

Lily looked around the room, wondering where it could be, before turning back to Ryan. Ryan quickly dropped her hands to her side and smiled innocently. “Are you sure you don’t need help in the showers?” 

Ryan nodded. “They aren’t that big, and I already halfway looked for it in there. You just start over there,” she pointed to the front wall, “and James can start on the other end or something. Sirius and Pete can do this wall. I just hope it didn’t go down the drain.”

Everyone studiously started looking. “I bet it’s in her pocket,” Peter muttered.

“I doubt it,” James said. “She always wears it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her not wearing it since she got it.”

“It’s not like her to lose it, though,” Lily said.

Sirius had a sudden coughing fit. Everyone looked over at him. “Must be getting a cold or something,” he said.

A few minutes later, there were two triumphant exclamations. Both people leaned forward to pull it out from under the bench… and Lily pulled away, rubbing her forehead. James rubbed the side of his head with his free hand. “Sorry. I didn’t see you.”

“Obviously,” Lily said. She looked at his face to see a triumphant look, but there was still an apologetic gleam in his eye. For the first time, Lily noticed that his eyes were hazel. She had always thought they were just brown.

“You found it!” Ryan’s joyful exclamation made Lily realize that she was staring — at James Potter of all people. She looked away quickly.

“Er… Yeah.” James handed the ring to Ryan, grinning. “There you go.”

Ryan gave James a one-armed hug. “Thank you!”

“You’re welcome,” he said easily, standing. He offered a hand up to Lily, and to everyone’s surprise (including her own), she accepted it. Ryan was almost beaming. Lily never even thought that it might be because of something _other_ than her ring.

&-&-&-&-&

“Cheers, Fireball,” Sirius said that night. “Fantastic. Couldn’t have come up with better myself.” 

“Thank you,” Ryan said, mock bowing. The Marauders, minus James, were sitting in the seventh year boys’ dorm. They knew James would be back in a few minutes, so they were using the time to talk about him while he wasn’t there.

“Did you really lose it?” Remus asked.

“Well,” Ryan said slowly, “I really _did_ leave it behind by accident, and it really _did_ fall on the floor by accident. But I knew where it was. How else would I have known to put Lily and James look on that wall? I didn’t mean for Lily to really look at him for the first time—“

“A nice addition, though,” Sirius said.

Ryan laughed and nodded. “I just meant to show her that he’s willing to help other people.” She shrugged. “Or something like that.”

“Whatever you did, I think it’s working,” Peter said.

Ryan nodded. “I think so too.” 


	9. Letters and All Around Stupidity

****Chapter 9- Letters and All Around Stupidity  
 _  
Finally! It took her long enough! Sheesh. I’ve been waiting for since the beginning of the year. I thought she would_ never _get around to me. Agrippa, she certainly takes her time._

_Hi, my name is Morgan Watson, matchmaker extraordinaire. I am happy to say I am in charge of setting up my three best friends._

_Well, maybe_ in charge _isn’t the way to put it. I was in charge of the Alice Carter-Frank Longbottom mission. I can take full credit for that—and I will. It came out rather well, if I do say so myself. If they don’t get married, they better have a hell of a good reason. They so crazy for each other, I don’t think there’s any reason that they shouldn’t._

_I can’t take full credit for the Lily and James project. Hell, I can barely take any credit. I’m leaving that up to the Marauders. I mean, I trust Ryan well enough, and she could control those boys with the snap of her pretty little fingers if she wanted to. She just chooses not to, for some reason I cannot understand in the slightest. I mean, honestly, what girl_ doesn’t _want the Marauders at her beck and call. Just imagine having Sirius Black come whenever you wanted him—_

_Sorry, I got a bit carried away. Just ignore me. I have a bad habit of getting onto tangents, and it’s near impossible to shut me up. So, if that happens, just ignore me. That’s what everyone else does._

_Anyway, what was I saying? Oh, yeah, Lily and James. As I said, Ryan is officially in charge of that project. She can have it. Those two are the most difficult people—No, I take that back._ Lily _is the most difficult person I have ever met. Not that she fully intends to be difficult, she’s just stubborn as a mule. There’s so much… chemistry between the two of them. No, wait, potential chemistry would be better._

_And sexual tension. I have never met a pair of people with more UST than James Potter and Lily Evans._

_Not that I would tell Lily that._

_(“That’s such a romance novel term. UST. What does that even stand for?”) Shut up, Sirius. What are you reading this for anyway? (“Just making a statement.”) Shove off._

_But Miss Marauder and her boys can take care of that. I only help when she asks me to or when I see an opportunity that’s just too good to pass up. Don’t get many of those, so I take them when I can. I worked my bloody arse off last year, so I’m laying back this year._

_Well, at least when it comes to Lily and James. Ryan and Remus are something else entirely._

_The two of them are a pair. Talk about falling for your best friend. And the worst thing is that neither one of them realizes it. Well, I guess I should take that back too. Sirius said that Remus knows, he just refuses to do anything about it. Doesn’t want to ruin the friendship or something like that._

_I suggested friends with benefits. Sirius said he already offered that idea to Remus without much success._

_I’ll let you in on a little secret—I’ve been working with Sirius since the beginning of the school year to get Ryan and Remus together. I can’t stand the prat most of the time (he’s a pig), but it’s in the best interests of our best friends. We have to be extremely careful about how we do it, though. First of all, we don’t want them to find out. We can’t let anyone find out. It just… wouldn’t work well. Secondly, if we somehow screw this up, we don’t want to screw up their friendship. We’re playing with fire, but that makes it all the more exciting._

_You would think they would be the easiest to get together, but they’re the hardest. The number one problem (behind the fact that they won’t admit they fancy each other) is that they’re both scared of being in a relationship. I know you can’t tell by looking at them, but it’s more obvious if you know them. They don’t want to get attached. They don’t want to fall in love._

_I don’t know either one’s reason, but I know they have one. I’m sure they know each other’s reasons. But I don’t need to know the reason. I just know that they need to get over it._

_On second thought, Sirius probably knows. Hang on, let me ask him. (“Bugger off, Watson. S’not any of your business.”) Hmph, well. Thanks for the cooperation, Black. (I’m sticking my tongue out at him right now, but he’s too busy pretending to do his Astronomy homework to notice.)_

_We may need to call in back up. I was thinking Lily and James might just be the perfect people. Hey, wait a minute… Yep, that just might work. In the process of hooking up Ryan and Remus, we would be showing Lily that James cares for the well being of others, i.e. Ryan and Remus._

_Ha, this might not be so difficult after all._

_More over Marauders. Watson’s on this case._

_-Morgan_

&-&-&-&-&

For the first time (in Alice’s memory), Lily, Morgan, and Alice were sitting with the Marauders during breakfast. _Voluntarily_. It had even been Lily’s idea! Of course, her excuse was that she needed to talk to James about Head stuff, but still. Alice was taking it as a sign. Of what, she wasn’t sure, but still a sign.

She looked down the table to where Lily and James were arguing. Well, they weren’t really arguing as much as they were… debating.

“We can’t decorate in just red and gold, James! The ball is for the _entire_ school. Not just Gryffindors.”

“So? What colors do _you_ think we should have?”

“One color from each house, just to be fair. Yes, _every_ house. I don’t like it any more than you do, but I’d rather go ahead and do that than argue with Slytherins.”

“We could always just silence them. Or curse them. Either way, I have the satisfaction of pointing a wand at a Slytherin.”

“ _James_. You’re _Head Boy_.” Alice noticed the slight smile on Lily’s face and couldn’t help but smile herself. They were making progress. Lily could have a normal conversation with him without storming away annoyed. James had managed to convince her to start calling him by his first name. They could (almost) be considered friends. They certainly acted like it. Alice wasn’t sure who she should thank for the progress, but she would thank them if she ever found out.

Morgan sat next to Lily, flirting shamelessly with Sirius. He flirted right back. Probably more out of boredom than actually liking each other, but you could never tell with those two. Ryan and Remus sat across from Alice.

“We have to work on the Transfiguration project sometime,” Remus was saying.

Ryan shrugged innocently. “I’m going to be sick soon. I have to get as much of my regular homework finished as I can so I won’t have so much to do next week. I don’t think I’ll have time.”

“And since you’re sick, you can’t do _any_ work?” Remus asked. Alice could almost see the trap he was waiting to set on her, although she didn’t know what it was about.

“No more than my regular work,” Ryan said, still looking innocent. “Sorry. Maybe after I’m better. I won’t be so tired then.”

Remus smirked slightly. “I guess you can’t go out on Wednesday either then.” 

Ryan frowned, trying to remember what was on Wednesday. Suddenly, she looked at him sharply. “Remus, you can’t—“

“You’ll be too tired, Rye,” he said, mocking her innocence. 

“That’s not fair—“

“I don’t want you to come if you’re going to be too tired. What happens if you get stuck again?”

“I won’t get stuck again,” she said defiantly. “The last time I got stuck, I was fifteen. I haven’t gotten stuck since then, and I don’t plan on it either. Stop being such a smarmy _salaud_. For the record, that means bas—“

“Is the full moon on Wednesday?” Peter asked. “I thought it was on—“ Remus and Ryan both gave him significant looks, and he stopped talking. Alice was about to ask what was so special about the full moon when the mail arrived. An owl landed in front of Alice, and she grinned. Who cared about the full moon anyway?

“Lily, Frank wrote to Alice again,” Morgan called happily. 

Lily looked down the table in interest. “Well? What did he say?”

“I haven’t even opened it yet,” Alice said, taking the letter attached to the owl’s leg. “I’ll let you know. _After_ I read it.”

An owl dropped a letter on Ryan’s plate. She picked it up, looking at it curiously, before slitting it open and pulling out the letter. As she read it, her face paled slightly and her curious look turned into a scowl. 

“Rye?” Remus asked uncertainly.

“It’s nothing,” she said, smiling what looked like a slightly forced smile. She stuffed the letter into her bag.

“Did your dad write you again?” James asked.

Ryan frowned. “Uh… Not exactly.” She stood up, slinging her bag over her shoulder. “I’ll meet you in class. I forgot my Defense book.”

After she left, the rest of them looked at each other questioningly. Peter was the first to say something. “Do you think she knows we don’t have Defense today?”

&-&-&-&-&

“Hi, Wheat.” 

Ryan looked up to see Morgan sit on one side of her and Sirius sit on the other. If she hadn’t been so worried about hiding what she had been working on, she might have asked them what they were doing. As it was, she stuffed her parchment under her book and into a large pile of notes. She hitched a smile onto her face.

“Hi, guys.” 

“What’re you working on?” Sirius asked.

The smile became even more forced. “Oh, you know. This and that.” She waved her hand vaguely. “What’s up?”

“Well, Clearing decided to pair us up to work on that Potions project due Friday,” Morgan said (Ryan swore internally; she had forgotten all about it). “And we need someone to make sure we don’t kill each other.”

“You’ve always gotten along just fine before,” Ryan said distractedly, scribbling a note to herself to find James ASAP so that they could finish ‘that damn project’ (which showed Sirius and Morgan how truly distracted she was to have not sworn in another language). “Better than everyone else anyway. What’s the problem?”

“He’s being a bigger arse than usual,” Morgan said. 

Sirius snorted. “You’re just mad because I won’t tell you about that thing.”

“ _Those_ things, Black,” Morgan corrected him. “There’s more than one. Two, if you want to get specific.”

“Isn’t mine to tell,” he said, shrugging. “Ask them.”

“You know what?” Ryan said. “Because I am extremely sleep deprived, I’m not even going to ask.” She hadn’t snapped at them, but Sirius and Morgan both got the feeling she would if they weren’t careful. “Sirius, if you can find James in the next ten minutes and bring him here, I’ll help you two make sure you don’t kill each other. I—“ She stopped and shook her head. “No, you stay there. _I’ll_ get him.” She paused for a second before turning to them again. “Sirius, switch seats with me. You have to sit next to her if you’re going to work with her.”

Sirius scowled. “Yes, _mum_.”

“Si, that is possibly the biggest insult you could ever give me,” Ryan said lightly, standing up. Sirius did the same, and the two of them switched places easily. “I don’t want to be anything like your mother. Your mother’s a bitch.” She flashed a grin. “No pun intended, of course.”

“Funny,” Sirius said sarcastically. “We’re going to Moony next time.”

“No, we’re not,” Morgan retorted. “Because there won’t _be_ a next time. I’m never getting paired with again.” 

“I—“ Sirius started.

“I see what you mean,” Ryan said, cutting him off. “Alright. Talk about the project and maybe you won’t argue that much. Try it.” Although Morgan and Sirius still managed to find things to argue about, Ryan made sure none of them turned into shouting matches. Which was a good thing considering the library (where they were working) was full of very stressed looking Ravenclaws that might curse the first person to say something. After about twenty minutes, James walked into the library. He looked around and made a face at Ryan before walking over.

“You rang?” he said dryly, sitting in an empty chair next to her. “What is it?”

“We need to do that—“ Ryan stopped in mid-sentence and pretended to glare at James. “You already did it, didn’t you?” 

“If you’re talking about the Potions thing,” James said, grinning. “Yep, I did. You’re welcome.”

“I helped him,” Sirius said. James raised an eyebrow. “Well, not really. That was Moony. I just kept them company while they did it.”

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. “Thanks. No need to baby me yet, but thanks anyway. I assume you made it—“

“Look like your handwriting, naturally,” he said, grinning. “Anything else, Fireball?” 

She smiled slightly, shaking her head. “No. Wait, yeah. There is. Besides not calling me Fireball. Can you make sure they don’t kill each other while I go get a book?” Sirius and Morgan opened their mouths to protest they wouldn’t _kill_ each other, but Ryan held up a hand. “Humor me. Besides, you never know with those Ravenclaws. Be right back.” She got up and walked off between the shelves. 

As soon as she was gone, Sirius leaned over and started looking through her stack of papers. “Don’t you think that’s just a little rude?” Morgan asked.

Sirius snorted. “You sound like Evans— Lily,” he corrected himself before Morgan or James could get a chance to. “She doesn’t care. I do it all the time.”

“What about that thing she hid when we came over?” Morgan asked. 

“What thing?” James asked.

“What do think I’m looking for?” Sirius asked, grinning at Morgan. He yanked a parchment out of the pile and scanned it, frowning. “What the hell—“

“What?” James and Morgan demanded. Sirius handed the parchment to Morgan, who held it so that James could read it too. Morgan could automatically recognize Ryan’s handwriting. It wasn’t addressed, but it was obviously a letter.

                _Just who the bloody fucking hell do you think you are?_

                _Yeah, that was my first thought when I got your pitiful excuse for a letter. Just who the hell does he think he is? Then I remembered. Oh, yeah. You’re that psychopath that ruins people’s lives. Then I started laughing._

                _That’s right, it made me laugh to think that you would actually think that you have a chance. That_ I _would think you have a chance. That I would actually want to help you. Hey, hate to break it to you, but I hate you. Hate you and your beliefs. Hate you and your ideals. Hate you because you make- No, never mind. I just flat out hate you. Strong enough for ya?_

                _And you thought I might help you? Hi there, but perhaps you’ve never heard of Terrence Miller? That you be my_ father, _you BASTARD. God, how stupid are you? Don’t answer that, I already know. I’d heard you weren’t the brightest crayon in the box, but COME ON. My father is an Auror. And you think I’d want to help you?_

                _You still want my answer?_

                _I hope you rot in fucking hell down there with all of those Death Eaters._

The other three exchanged confused looks. “You don’t think…?” Morgan trailed off uncertainly, biting her bottom lip.

“No,” Sirius and James said in unison. “He’s stupid,” James continued.

“But he couldn’t be that stupid,” Sirius finished. Morgan kept biting her lip uncertainly. “At least if it _is_ him, she telling him no in every possible way she can think of,” Sirius added helpfully. 

Morgan nodded. “At least we found this instead of-“ She stopped and quickly handed the parchment back to Sirius. “She’s coming.” Sirius stuffed the paper back into the pile right before Ryan walked over.

Ryan looked between the three of them. “All of you look guilty. You realize that, don’t you?”

“That’s because we’re _always_ guilty, Wheat,” Sirius said, grinning. “You should know that by now.”

She shook her head, smiling. “Don’t doubt it. Did they argue?”

“Not much,” James said.

“We’re almost done, anyway,” Morgan said, closing her books and starting to put things in her bag. 

Sirius blinked at her. “We are?”

She held up two rolls of parchment and showed him a third one that was half full. “Look like we’re almost done to you?”

“Your handwriting is crap, Watson,” Sirius replied easily.

“Yeah, so? You knew that. It’s better than yours any day. And it’s for Clearing anyway. It’s not like you care.”

“Yeah. True.”

“I don’t think you two need a babysitter anymore,” Ryan said. “Now I need to find Remus. Any clue—“

“Dorm,” Sirius and James said in unison.

Ryan nodded. “Thanks.” She all but threw her stuff into her bag before slinging it over her shoulder without closing it. “I’ll talk to you all later.”

“Hey, Rye,” James said, stopping her. She looked at him, looking slightly annoyed. “Just… get some rest before Wednesday, alright, love?” She sighed and nodded before turning and walking out of the library.

“What’s Wednesday?” Morgan asked.

“S’not any of your business,” Sirius said.

Morgan raised an eyebrow. “Must have to do with those things, because that’s the exact same thing you told me when I asked about them. Okay, another question then.”

“We’re all ears,” James said.

“Why is it that both of you – the two that aren’t _in love with her_ – are the two Marauders that always end up calling her ‘love’?”

“Bleeding hell, Watson, she’s practically my sister,” James said. “If I had a sister, I’d probably call her ‘love’ too.”

“What are you going to call Lily, then?” she asked innocently

“What- Why- Where-“ James sputtered for a minute, looking at her in shock. “Lily. I’m going call her _Lily_. Dammit, what’s going on?”

“Just wondering,” Morgan said, shrugging. “I just thought that was kind of odd. Gathering information, in a way.”

“Mate, sometimes it’s better to just not ask,” Sirius advised him.

&-&-&-&-&

Ryan was, for lack of a better term, royally pissed. And furious. And down right insulted. Who did he think he was? 

_It would be in your best interests to accept._

Best interests? Best interests for whom? Not her, that was for sure. It would be in her best interests. Yeah. Right. Uh-huh. Forget the fact that her dad would be furious is he found out. Forget that her friends would hate her. Forget that her ten-year-old brother wouldn’t trust her. And all of them with good reason!

_It would be in your best interests to accept._

Not that she was planning on accepting. That much was for certain. She couldn’t, for one thing. She wouldn’t for another. Didn’t he know where her powers _came_ from? People with the power of the Phoenix had at least one gene from the Gryffindor line. Didn’t he _know_ that? 

Granted, most people didn’t. It didn’t mean she was the heir or anything. But she was, however distantly, related to Gryffindor. Like people born with Parseltongue had at least one gene from Slytherin. That was just an identifying factor. Each founder had one. She could’ve been the great-great-great-great-great-great grandchild of his half-sister for all she knew (if Gryffindor _had_ a half-sister, which was unlikely). She didn’t even know or care if Godric Gryffindor _had_ an heir anymore, she just knew it wasn’t her.

And she knew that he was an idiot.

If you’re going to plan on taking over the wizarding world, you should at least know your history, right? And that was part of wizarding history. Chances were he thought she didn’t know it. Chances were he didn’t care. But that didn’t change facts.

The heir of Slytherin had asked a relation of Gryffindor to join his side.

It was almost laughable, really, if Ryan was in the mood to laugh about it. Maybe when she would laugh about it when she got over how insulting it was. But not now. Now was not the time to laugh about it.

Had he asked any of her other friends to join him? Or was it just her? Surely he asked people other than her. She was powerful, maybe, but she wasn’t better than James. Or Lily, although she was a Muggleborn. Or Remus either, for the grades he got. Surely he knew that. 

Her primary question though was how he knew. How did he know about her powers? Most people didn’t. A lot of people thought there was some kind of disease that went around between the Marauders, the way Remus was out once a month and she was tired so often. Not that that made people stay away from them or anything. 

Only people close to her knew about her powers. Well, and a couple of very observant people in their classes that figured out she was sick once every three months at the exact same time every year. But other than that…

Had Sirius’ cousin Bellatrix noticed? It was possible. Not exactly probable, but possible. Ryan had a couple of classes with her, but she didn’t seem extremely observant. Or maybe Bella’s little sister Narcissa had noticed? Or, ever more probable, _Snape_ had noticed. The possibilities were practically endless. Any Slytherin- or even a person from another house- could’ve figured it out.

It didn’t matter, though. Ryan didn’t care. She wasn’t going to accept. She had no reason to accept. Sure, there was power, and who didn’t want power? She could join the elite, the letter had said. She would be in the inner circle. She would know who every Death Eater was and could turn in anyone she wanted for her own bargaining tool if necessary. 

But she didn’t want it. She didn’t want that kind of power. Hell, she wasn’t sure she wanted any kind of power. Power corrupts. Power got in the way of personal things, and she had enough personal problems, thank _you_. She didn’t like to lead. She wasn’t good at it. She just came up with the ideas, and Remus made them work. They made a good team-

But that wasn’t the _point_! The point was Voldemort (she could say it without flinching, despite the new fear of saying his name) wanted her on his side. Well, hell if he’d get here. She’d move to Brazil before joining him, and she’d hated living in Brazil. She’d die before she joined him. Her dream was to be an Auror so that she could fight him on her own. 

No, she wouldn’t join him. Never in a million years. Not a chance on Earth or in hell. Which, she decided wryly, was where he belonged. She hoped she was one of the ones to send him there.

&-&-&-&-&

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes, I am.”

“No.”

“Yes. I’m going, and you can’t stop me.”

“Oh, really?”

“Really.”

“I think I can.”

“You and what bloody army?”

Remus sighed and rubbed his forehead. He knew better than to argue with Ryan when she was in her weak period, especially lately. Ever since she got a letter the week before, she’d been tired and it didn’t take much for her to snap at people. A drastic change from her normal personality, but it couldn’t be helped. There was no way he was going to let her. Not this time.

It was the day before the full moon and four days into Ryan’s weak period. And she was starting to feel it. Not that she would admit it, but it was perfectly clear to Remus. Ryan, naturally, wanted to help out during the full moon, and Remus, naturally, didn’t want her to. The other Marauders were strangely silent about the argument. 

All of them knew who was one whose side, though. That much was obvious, even though no one had said anything about it. James and Sirius were both on his side, and Peter didn’t care. But the other Marauders stayed out of that argument, as they did whenever that subject came up. It wouldn’t matter anyway, Remus knew. Ryan was more stubborn than all of them combined when she wanted to be.

“You’re right,” he admitted finally. “I can’t stop you. But Ryan…” He reached out a hand. He thought of putting it to her cheek, but he changed his mind at the last second and put it on her shoulder. 

Her eyes flickered to his hand before meeting his eyes squarely. “But what?”

“Just… Please, Rye. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

She sighed. “You always forget it’s easier for me to transform than it is for them. I do it naturally, no extra magic involved.”

“True,” he agreed, “but that didn’t keep you from getting stuck in fifth year. Remember that? You were stuck for-“

“Twelve hours, yes, I know,” she said, rolling her eyes with a slight smile on her face. “Honestly, Remus, you were more worried about than I was.”

“Probably. It can be a little disturbing to wake up with a Phoenix sitting next to you.” She laughed, and he smiled. “But I was only worried because I care about you and I don’t want you to get hurt.” Okay, so maybe he said a little more than was necessary, but he needed to prove a point.

She smiled and put her hand over his. “I know, Rem. Really, I understand. But it’s so easy. And you know how the guys are always hurting the next morning because they use different muscles or something like that? I don’t. It doesn’t hurt me at all. I know what I’m doing, and if I start getting tired, I’ll transform back before I get too tired. Okay?”

“Do you promise?” he asked her, eyeing her seriously.

She raised her right hand. “Swear on my little brother’s head.”

Remus chuckled. “I hope for Dan’s sake that you don’t break that promise.” She grinned too.

Remus suddenly realized he’d been staring into her eyes for the past couple of minutes. Surely she noticed? If she had noticed, she didn’t seem to mind because she was staring back. He was pretty sure that, if he didn’t look away soon, he was going to end up kissing her. But he couldn’t look away. Nor did he want to.

He was considering what would happen if he did kiss her and if it would be worth it (his immediate decision to the latter question was yes) when she made the decision for him. Ryan took the step that separated them, stood on the tips of her toes, and kissed him. Remus only hesitated a second before kissing her back.

Sirius and James chose that moment to come into the dorm. Luckily the two of them were arguing about something and didn’t notice Ryan and Remus until they jumped apart.

“You can’t-“

“Sure, you can…” Both boys stopped in the doorway to the room and looked the pair in front of them. Sirius smirked. “Are we interrupting something?”

“No,” Ryan and Remus both said a little too quickly.

James smirked at Sirius knowingly. “You sure? Because we can-“

“No, I was just leaving anyway,” Ryan said hastily. She threw Remus a look. “I’m still coming tomorrow.”

Remus shrugged and nodded. “I didn’t doubt it.” She nodded too before pushing past the pair in the doorway and going down the stairs. James and Sirius looked at Remus expectantly. “Don’t ask,” he said wearily.

“Hah!” Sirius exclaimed joyfully. “We _were_ interrupting something! Weren’t we?”

“Yes, Padfoot,” Remus said, sitting on his bed and looking at his hands. “You were.”

“About bloody time!”

Remus gave him a dry look. “Not now, Padfoot, alright?”

“He’s right,” James said, shrugging. “It took you long enough. You better not leave it there, though.”

Remus opened his mouth but closed it again quickly, shaking his head. “Women are damn complicated.”

“Learn to expect the unexpected, Moony,” Sirius said cheerfully. 

“It just wasn’t unexpected for the rest of us,” James added just as cheerfully. 

&-&-&-&-&

“Stupid!” Ryan exclaimed furiously, storming into her dorm. “Stupid, stupid, _stupid_.” She wasn’t exactly sure who it was that she was calling stupid, but it fit the entire situation pretty well. It wasn’t until she slammed the door behind her that she noticed Morgan sitting on the floor and Alice and Lily sitting on their respective beds. All three were looking at her questioningly. 

Ryan swore in Greek. “ _Skata_.”

“That bad, eh?” Morgan asked nonchalantly.

“I would ask,” Lily said, “but I know I wouldn’t get an answer, so I’m just not going to bother with it.”

“To sum it up, I just topped myself when it comes to stupidity,” Ryan said as calmly as she could managed. 

“We gathered as much,” Alice said lightly. 

“This wouldn’t have anything to do with any of your fellow Marauders would it?” Morgan asked carefully. Ryan didn’t see the other two give her warning looks. “The tall, light haired one? Sandy brown hair, light brown eyes- You know the one I’m talking about, right?”

Ryan wanted to run and hide. It wasn’t a normal instinct for her, but running seemed like a good way to get away right then. “Yeah. I know the one. What makes you think this has anything to do with him?”

“Because Sirius was looking for you through your mirror, and he was saying something about how he was sorry to have interrupted you and Remus.”

Ryan froze in the middle of pulling out her homework. She turned around slowly. “He _what_?”

Morgan grinned innocently. “Well, I think that’s what it was. He kept yelling, so we turned it over. It was coming out a bit muffled, but I think that’s what he said. Isn’t that what you heard, Alice?”

Kaitlyn Scoder and Meredith Winters chose that moment to walk into the dorm. Ryan didn’t think she’d ever been so happy to see them in her life, and she never would be happy to see them again. But she didn’t like where the line of conversation was heading. They wouldn’t talk about it with two gossip queens in the room, surely.

Luckily for Ryan, Morgan dropped it. But it was only a matter of time…

&-&-&-&-&

A phoenix landed on a stag’s horns gracefully. A big black dog growled at her in a way that she translated to mean, _You’re late._

The truth was that she almost hadn’t come for reasons didn’t feel like admitting to anyone. But she had decided to come, and now she was wondering why she had. 

She took flight and flew at eye level to the stag to see what he had to saw to her. The stag gave her a look that said, _If you’re going to come, be on time._

She gave him a look back that said quite clearly, _He had you three._ Which he did! They didn’t really need her. What use was she anyway? She was the scout. That’s all she did. Well, and pull fur occasionally. But they didn’t _need_ her to keep him in check.

Merlin, she sounded like Peter. 

The reason she had come was simple. She remembered once, in fifth year, she had been sick during a full moon. She didn’t get sick often, besides her weak periods, but when she was sick, she was really sick. The next morning, when the boys all came in with a few extra scratches and bruises, they informed her that he was always much calmer when she was around. She hadn’t known why at the time, but she had a pretty good idea now. 

The werewolf let out a loud howl that scared a rat into shrill squeaks. The phoenix rolled her eyes and landed on the werewolf’s back and dug her claws into his fur. She chirped once, sharply, right by the werewolf’s ear. _I’m here, dammit._ The werewolf stopped howling almost immediately. 

If a stag and a dog could grin, those two would be grinning at each other widely and knowingly. _She’ll have him whipped in no time._


End file.
